In an early morning strike, 12 Indian Mirage-2000 fighter jets have struck at terrorist targets in Pakistan, destroying several training camp of the Jaish e Mohammed, the terror outfit that had carried out a suicide attack in Pulwama on February 14.
Mirage 2000 fighter jets of the air force crossed the border and dropped precision strike 1,000-kg bombs on terror camps, causing considerable damage. The Indian Air Force strikes could have caused around 200-300 casualties on the Pakistani side.
The strike is believed to have taken place around 4 am and the Pakistani establishment came out with a public statement an hour later, claiming air space violation by India. The Pakistani military claimed that an Indian jet dropped a payload (bomb) at Balakot without causing damage. Balakot is located well within Pakistan and not in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The strike is believed to have caused significant damage and a detailed assessment is likely to be shared shortly.
An Indian Air Force EARLY WARNING AIRCRAFT took off early in the morning today. These aircraft are used to track enemy movement and direct own jets to targets. The aircraft appears to be the indigenous early warning jet based on the Embraer platform.
Also, an air to air refuler is in the air since morning. The IL 78 is utilized for giving fighter jets extra range and public data shows it loitering close to the western borders, and heading back to its home base at Agra.
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9.19am: The government to brief media on the India Air Force strike soon. The government earlier declined to comment on the issue even though the Pakistani side confirmed that India conducted air strikes across LoC in Balakot region in Pakistan.
9.09am: Pakistan army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor confirms the damage done by the Indian Air Force fighter jets.
9.07am: As per News18, the Indian Air Force strikes could have caused around 200-300 casualties on the Pakistani side.
9.05am: NC leader and former J&K CM Omar Abdullah lauds the Air Force, says "if this is true this was not a small strike by any stretch of imagination".
9.01am: The government has so far declined to comment on the issue but has also not denied about reports of the Indian Air Force conducting strikes across the Line of Control.
9.00am: As many as 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation that completely destroyed several terror camps across the Line of Control in Pakistan.
8.38am: Pakistan army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor claims the Indian aircraft intruded into Pakistan from the Muzaffarabad sector.
8.20am: Around 10 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft strike several terror camps across the LoC.
IAF-Mirage-2000-jets in Pakistan Bombing Mission
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