LoC drone intrusions force closure of Kashmir schools till March 3

NEW DELHI: Schools across Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed on March 2 and 3 due to multiple Pakistani drone intrusion attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) and escalating tensions in West Asia, the directorate of school education, Kashmir, announced today.Authorities postponed the scheduled reopening of schools up to Class 8th—originally set for tomorrow after winter vacations—to prioritise student safety amid a rapidly evolving security situation. The order covers all government and private recognised schools in the region. In the latest incident, Indian Army troops thwarted 2-3 small quadcopters trying to breach Indian airspace in the Poonch sector along the LoC between 5:45 AM and 6:00 AM today. Vigilant personnel deployed swift counter-drone measures, forcing the drones to retreat without causing harm.This marks the latest in a series of drone sightings along the LoC and International Border over recent days, prompting the Army to ramp up surveillance and readiness against further violations.The closures coincide with heightened regional instability triggered by joint Israeli-US missile strikes on Iran—codenamed Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury—which reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law in explosions across Tehran and other cities. US President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes, while Iranian state media echoed the leadership casualties.Iran retaliated by targeting US bases in Dubai, Doha's Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, further stoking fears of broader conflict spillover into South Asia. Officials in Jammu and Kashmir cited these combined threats as driving the two-day shutdown to protect children.