New Delhi: Amid reports of pre-dawn Indian air strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today said it was a "necessary step taken by the Air Force". There has been no official confirmation about the air strikes, which reportedly took place around 3.30 am on terror camps and a control rooms of Jaish-e Mohammad.
The Pakistan-based terror group has taken responsibility for the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, in which 40 soldiers of the CRPF died.
"This was a very strong and necessary response... the steps taken today were necessary," the ministre said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "given this freedom to the armed forces, and now the entire nation stands behind the armed forces".
News agency ANI reported that around 3.30 am today, 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets had dropped around 1000 kg laser-guided bombs on training camps of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which claimed responsibility for the attack in Pulwama.
The strikes were "100 per cent successful" and went exactly as planned, sources told NDTV. Terror camps and control rooms of the Jaish were hit.
The opposition has rallied behind the armed forces, with leaders from Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to Bihar leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeting messages of support. "I salute the pilots of the IAF," Mr Gandhi's tweet read.
In 2016, 11 days after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, the army had launched surgical strikes across the Line of Control.