IAF Balakot strike: PM Modi said at a rally today that the country is in safe hands
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the three military chiefs this evening, hours after the Indian Air Force crossed the Line of Control and conducted "non-military, pre-emptive air strikes" in Balakot on the biggest training camp of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, killing over 300 terrorists including Jaish chief Masood Azhar's brother-in-law.
The military chiefs apprised the PM about the country's preparedness to deal with any possible retaliatory action by Islamabad, news agency PTI reported, quoting sources. PM Modi congratulated the service chiefs, particularly Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa for the successful operation, PTI added.
The three chiefs also met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and discussed the overall preparation of the forces to deal with any eventualities, PTI reported.
The meeting with the military chiefs comes after Pakistan said that it will "respond at a time and place of its choosing". Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had held a meeting of the National Security Committee that included the chiefs of all three armed forces and other officials.
Imran Khan also asked Pakistan's armed forces and people to "remain prepared for all eventualities" after the pre-dawn air strike by the Indian Air Force.
In his statement after the Pulwama terror attack, Imran Khan had said the country would act if India gave "actionable intelligence" against terrorists based in the country. He had warned India that Pakistan would retaliate if India indulged in any "misadventure".
This afternoon, PM Modi had said at a rally in Rajasthan's Churu: "I assure you, the country is in safe hands."
At 3:30 am today, 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets crossed the Line of Control and dropped 1,000 kg bombs on the vast terror training facility at Balakot, which was the hub of suicide attack training, according to sources.
The government says that there were credible inputs of the Jaish-e-Mohammed planning more suicide attacks and training its fidayeen terrorists in this camp. The Jaish-e-Mohammed was responsible for the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, in which 40 soldiers were killed.
With inputs from PTI