Recent unverified reports indicate that a Chinese-manufactured HQ-16 (also known as LY-80) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, operated by Pakistan’s 4th Air Defence Regiment, was allegedly targeted by an Indian Air Force IAI Harop loitering munition in Walton, Lahore.
A loitering munition is an aerial weapon that can circle an area before identifying and attacking a target.
This purported incident is said to have resulted in injuries to four Pakistani Army personnel and damage to at least one vehicle associated with the missile battery, thereby crippling Pakistan's already strained air defence capabilities.
According to unconfirmed sources within Pakistan, the alleged strike took place within a military zone in Walton, a populated area of Lahore situated near the Indian border. The primary target was reportedly the HQ-16 missile battery, which plays a significant role in Pakistan's air defence network.
Images shared on social media platforms appear to show a damaged military truck, believed to be a mobile command post for the HQ-16 system. Some accounts also suggest that an air defence radar might have been destroyed in the incident.
It has been reported from these unconfirmed sources that four soldiers operating the SAM system sustained injuries, though their conditions are described as not life-threatening.
The HQ-16, designated LY-80 for export, is a medium-range air defence system developed in China. It is designed to engage aerial threats such as aircraft and cruise missiles at distances ranging from 40 to 70 kilometers.
Operated by Pakistan’s 4th Air Defence Regiment, this system provides a crucial layer of protection against airborne attacks, particularly in the strategically important Punjab region. Any substantial damage to such a system could temporarily diminish Pakistan's air defence readiness in this sensitive area.
To date, neither the Pakistani military nor the government has released any official statement concerning the alleged incident in Walton. This silence aligns with Pakistan's generally deniying stance on military casualties.
However, unofficial Pakistani sources mentioned in posts on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) claim that "some batteries" of the missile system were damaged, implying that the attack may have affected multiple elements of the HQ-16 unit.
