Indian Air Force surgical strike on Pakistan: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak news channel
The Pakistani media has called the attack a violation of the LoC
In just about 12 days since India lost 40 of its brave soldiers in the Pulwama terror attack carried out by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), India has struck back hard.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is said to have launched airstrikes on terror camps and launch pads at 3.30 am. According to sources, 1,000 kg bombs were dropped on Jaish bases across the Line of Control (LoC) by multiple jets, including the IAF’s Mirage 2000.
Watch the full coverage of the attacks here:
12 Mirage 2000 aircraft took off from Gwalior air base in batches.
The Mirage jets were armed 500/1000lb laser-guided bombs.
The Mirage 2000 jets were fitted with Israeli listening targetting pods.
An IAF early warning jet took off from Bhatinda.
Simultaneously, an IAF mid-air refuelling tanker took off from Agra.
Another, IAF Heron Surveillance also accompanied the team.
The Mirage 2000 pilots conducted final checks on the targets.
They were then cleared from the command centre to proceed.
The Mirage 2000 jets flew across LoC at low level.
The pilots of the Mirage 2000 jets used laser pods to 'paint' targets.
Finally, the Mirage 2000 jets dropped their payload of bombs.
Sources said terrorist launchpads in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad were completely destroyed in the IAF air strikes, and that Jaish-e-Mohammed control rooms were also destroyed.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Armed Forces claimed that the IAF violated the LoC, and that the Pakistan Air Force responded immediately, after which the Indian aircraft went back.
There had been considerable anger in India against Pakistan since the Pulwama attack forcing the Indian government to say that all three wings of the forces had been given khuli choot (full freedom) to strike back against Islamabad.
Even before the attack, India's retaliatory measures have included removing Pakistan's status as most favoured trade nation, not granting Pakistani shooters visas for the Olympics and refusing to play its cricket World Cup match against its team.
The Pakistani media has called the attack a violation of the LoC. New Delhi, meanwhile, has made it clear that Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price if it continues to sponsor terror against India.