Drone attack in 9 Pakistan cities: Here's all about Israel-made Harop suicide drones that can stay in air for hours

Economic Times

08-05-2025

Drone Attack: India claims that Pakistan air defence system was destroyed. Amid heightened tensions, Pakistan Army reported explosions in multiple cities, attributing them to Indian Harop loitering munition drones, showcasing wreckage as evidence. India's Defence Ministry acknowledged targeting Pakistani air defense systems in response to Pakistan's drone and missile attacks on Indian military targets, claiming neutralization by integrated defense systems.
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Pakistan air defence system destroyed: India
What are Harop Drones?
Harop drones: Developed for high-value military targets
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Human-operated and cancel-capable system
Range and operational use
India has bought Israeli defense systems worth $2.9 billion
The Pakistan Army on Thursday claimed explosions in several cities across Pakistan, including Lahore, Karachi, and Sialkot. Pakistan Army spokesperson claimed that the explosions were due to Harop loitering munition drones, amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Army spokesperson said the drones were Harop loitering munitions and described the incidents as "a serious serious provocation." He showed pictures of the wreckage of the drones at a press conference.In a statement, India's ministry of Defence in a statement said: "Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.""On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," it said.Harop is an attack drone developed by the MBT Missiles Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is a loitering munition designed to hover over a battlefield and strike on command. The drone is capable of autonomous operation or remote control and can return to base if a target is not engaged.Harop is a loitering munition developed by the MBT Missiles Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It combines features of a UAV and a missile. It is designed to identify, track and destroy high-value military targets such as tanks, radar stations, air defence systems, command centres, and supply depots.The drone is equipped with electro-optical sensors. These allow it to monitor targets such as surveillance posts and radar installations before striking. The drone crashes into its target and explodes on impact.Harop can search for targets over a span of nine hours. It flies within a set area, detects and identifies targets, plots an approach, and executes a strike from different angles. It does not require advance intelligence to carry out the operation. The drone also has resistance to GNSS jamming, which allows it to maintain communications in hostile environments.Harop missions are supervised through human-in-the-loop control. Operators can abort the attack if required. The drone can be launched from land or sea. It uses canisters mounted on military trucks or naval vessels.Harop drones are launched from outside the battlefield and can fly up to 200 kilometres. As loitering munitions, they hover above hostile zones, wait for a target, and then dive into it.The drone has been used in previous conflicts, including by Azerbaijan in the 2016 and 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh wars. It has also been used in Syrian conflicts, including a 2018 strike on a Syrian Air Defence SA-22 Greyhound and another attack in December 2024.India and Azerbaijan are among the countries that have purchased the Harop system. Reports also indicate Turkiye may have started using it as early as 2005.India has imported military hardware worth $2.9 billion from Israel over the last ten years. This includes radars, surveillance and combat drones, and missile systems. The Harop drone is among the systems purchased during this period.