ISLAMABAD:Pakistan army shot down at least 29 Israeli-manufactured Harop drones following a series of provocative attacks by India, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the aftermath of the attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) continue to escalate. “Pakistan Armed forces have so far shot down 25 Harop drones using both soft-kill (technical) and hard-kill (weapons-based) systems,” said a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. Later in the day, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at least 29 Indian drones had been shot down so far, while three people were martyred in the latest attacks. It said that the escalation follows India’s cowardly assault on May 6 and May 7, “which resulted in the destruction of five advanced aircraft, drones, multiple military posts, and reported casualties among Indian troops”.In a state of panic and confusion, the ISPR said, India resorted to deploying Israeli-made Harop drones for attacks on Pakistani territory. “These unprovoked attacks are a clear reflection of India’s desperation and frustration, as it continues to suffer significant losses along the Line of Control (LoC),” it added. Debris of the downed Israeli drones is being recovered from various locations across Pakistan, the military’s media wing added. “Pakistan Armed Forces are responding with full force, thwarting all hostile designs and delivering a decisive response to the enemy’s aggression,” it concluded. India launched strikes on Pakistan and AJK early Wednesday morning — an assault that Islamabad called a “blatant act of war”.Islamabad said six Pakistani locations, from mosques to hydropower projects, were targeted. At least 31 civilians, including children, were martyred and 57 sustained injuries after India launched an unprovoked and devious attack at six locations — Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot and Shakkargarh in Punjab and Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Azad Kashmir. In retaliation, the Pakistan armed forces shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, seven drones, destroyed a brigade headquarters and a number of checkposts along the Line of Control (LoC).