In a major development, the IAF has reportedly provided evidence about the February 26 Balakot airstrike to the government. India Today TV has claimed that, according to top sources, 80 percent of the bombs deployed during the strike had hit their targets.
Last month, India irreversibly changed the dynamics of Indo-Pak relations. Till now, the relationship between India and Pakistan has been dominated by Pakistani terrorism and failed peace talks. However, now India has shown that India is not going to tolerate Pakistani terrorism. In an unprecedented development, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out pre-emptive strikes deep into the Pakistani terroritory. The IAF targeted a Jaish e Mohammed terror training camp in Balakot and hit the terrorist country where it hurts the most.
The airstrikes exposed how Pakistan was harbouring terror outfits. However, there are certain political leaders who chose to react to Pakistani propaganda and started asking for proof of the airstrikes. At a time when it was expected that the entire political spectrum would stand firmly with the government, some of the politicians clearly kept politicisation of the sensitive issue at a higher priority when compared to national interest and security.
However, there was already some evidence to show that the airstrike succeeded in achieving its object. An NTRO surveillance report revealed that more than 300 mobile phones were active in the area where the strikes took place. Moreover, it is very much clear from the story of a terrorist student that on February 26 Jaish’s camps were bombed and many terrorists were killed. There was some other evidence as well which clearly suggested that the terror training camp had been hit by the IAF and that substantial damage was caused in terms of casualties.
As per the India Today TV report, sources said that the IAF Mirage 2000 fighter jets, which carried out the Balakot airstrike, had dropped Spice 2000 precision bombs with “penetrative warheads”. These bombs pierced the roofs of the intended targets and exploded inside the buildings. Therefore, internal damage was caused to the terror training camp. As per India Today TV story, it has learned that the IAF has submitted a 12-page dossier consisting of high-resolution satellite images and synthetic aperture radar imagery. These images were collected by an intelligence aircraft flying in Indian airspace.
This development should end the unnecessary controversy that some of the opposition leaders were trying to create. This account makes it clear that the airstrike was successful in achieving its object. Those who used to ask for proof should come out apologizing for misleading the entire nation after this revelation.
