India strikes Lahore base in retaliation to cross-border attacks by Pakistan: Reports
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has carried out fresh strikes on Pakistan's Lahore military base, hours after its air defence systems were reportedly crippled in an earlier counteroffensive. The operation was undertaken in response to a series of coordinated drone and missile attacks launched by Pakistan on Indian military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Jaisalmer.
As per an India Today report, sources within the Indian security establishment confirmed that the retaliation was strategically executed, capitalising on the weakened state of Pakistan’s air defence. Earlier in the day, India’s S-400 “Sudarshan Chakra” air defence system intercepted and neutralised several incoming drones and missiles.
As per an India Today report, Pakistan’s Chinese-origin HQ-9 missile defence systems stationed in Lahore were initially targeted by Israeli-manufactured HARPY kamikaze drones, severely impairing their operational capacity. Despite these damages, Pakistan proceeded to launch further attacks on Indian bases in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur.
In response, India struck the already-damaged Lahore base and reportedly shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet, two JF-17 aircraft, and an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft within Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The Pakistani offensive extended to military targets in Awantipora, Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bhuj. Indian defence systems successfully intercepted several projectiles, including two kamikaze drones in Poonch.
India has not yet issued an official statement.
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Kerala polls: ‘People rejected 10 years of misrule’, says AICC gen secy
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.
He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.
“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.
He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.
Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.
Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.
Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.
He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.
“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.
On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.
The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) posts, "Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential… pic.twitter.com/6T4IZbEmp4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
