Indian Airforce Launches Major Airstrikes Into Pakistan

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Well it has happened. Just about 11 hours ago (at about 6:30 am Tuesday, 26th Feb. Kuala Lumpur time) the Indian Airforce sent a squadron strength strike force of 12 Mirage 2000 jets more than 50 km into Pakistan to bomb Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist camps at three locations Balakot,  Muzaffarabad and Chakothi.  (Balakot is in the Khyber Pakhtunwa area.)

Mirage 2000 of the IAF

Indian Air Force surprise air strikes on militant camps in PakistanTwelve Mirage 2000 jets struck Jaish-e-Muhammed camps 3:30 am Tues (local time)destroyed camps in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muzaffarabad, Chakothi
attack comes amid tensions after Pulwama attacks on Feb 14 more than 40 CRPF personnel killedIndian govt has confirmed air strikes
first time Indian Air Force crossed into Pakistan since 1971
Balakot 190 km from Pakistan's capital Islamabad infamous for having several terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammed
Hundreds of JeM fidayeen shifted to hilltop in Balakot after Pulwama providing "sitting duck target" for air strike killed up to 350 terrorists: PTI sources
Key JeM operatives targeted : Maulana Ammar (Afghan, Kashmir ops) Maulana Talha Saif , brother of Maulana Masood Azhar 


My comments : Well things are still very hot along the Indo-Pak border. This air strike just happened less than 12 hours ago. 

But things will most likely cool down now. Pakistan will most likely not retaliate and the Indians have made their point.

There are a few points to note. The Indians went across the LoC (Line of Control) the unofficial border between India and Pakistan for the first time since the Indo-Pak war of 1971 (when East Pakistan was liberated and became Bangladesh).

All 12 Mirage jets carried out the air strike undetected by the Pakistani radar and air defenses and returned safely to base.  This is a serious slap to the Pakistani armed forces.

The Pakistan air force chief has opted for a response similar to the last Indian surgical strike after the Uri attack in 2016 - nothing much happened, no damage done, no one has been killed, nothing has been destroyed.

The Indian jets dropped 1000 lb laser guided bombs. The Indians say that over 300 Jaesh e Muhammad terrorists, including the brother and the brother in law of JeM leader Masood Azhar were killed in the strikes.

Plus in a show of their intelligence capabilities, Indian intelligence has begun releasing pictures from the ground of the results of the airstrikes.

My view is nothing much will happen after this.  Pakistani PM Imran Khan is not the sabre rattling type. Things should cool down.

US President Donald Trump is also unhappy with Pakistan and has cut off over US1.3 Billion in annual aid to Pakistan since last year.  

This strike has caught Pakistan totally unprepared and with little capacity for retaliation.  

It will force a rethink in Pakistan about their turning a blind eye towards the many Pakistan based terrorist groups that carry out attacks against India.  There will be a huge cost for providing safe havens for terrorists. Posted by Syed Akbar Ali 

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