China aiding Pakistan? Optical Chinese satellite crosses Rajasthan as Pak launches fresh drone attack: Report

As Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks in regions like Jaisalmer, Akhnoor, Jammu, Udhampur, and cities in Punjab such as Pathankot, a Chinese optical imaging satellite crossed over Rajasthan, according to an open-source intelligence platform, War & Gore. The platform also suggested that Pakistan was using civilian airlines as a shield while launching drones towards India. 

"Suddenly double digits flights take off from Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore - all takeoffs within 20-25 minutes. They're doing it so Indian air defence can't distinguish UAVs & Pakistani missile. They hey did it yesterday too," the platform wrote on X.  

Pakitan had used the same tactics on Thursday when it launched 300-400 Turkish-made drones towards India. 

Earlier today, India's Ministry of External Affairs said that Pakistan had not closed its civil airspace despite launching an unprovoked missile and drone attack on May 7. "Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response," the MEA said during a press briefing. 

While India's side of the airspace was devoid of civil air traffic due to the country's declared airspace closure, the Pakistani airspace continued to allow commercial flights, including those between Karachi and Lahore. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said the Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. "The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence."

Qureshi also said that the forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones was being done, but initial reports suggested that they were Turkish Asisguard Songar drones.