Nearly two weeks after the Pulwama terror attack, Indian Air Force dropped 1,000-kg laser-guided bombs on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror launch pads in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. IAF used 12 Mirage-2000 fighter jets to carry out the mission which according to India, resulted in over 200 causalities. The media reports suggest that IC-814 hijacker Yousuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, was among the causalities.
The much-awaited retaliation happened in the wee hours of February 26 when Mirage 2000 jets crossed 50 miles undetected into Pakistan. As per reports, IAF jets have hit terror camps in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad sectors, along with JeM control rooms.
Balakot is also the biggest launch pad of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and following the Pulwama attack, all the JeM terrorists were pushed back from PoK to this area. Balakot, 50 kilometres away from Abbottabad, where Osama Bin Laden was killed, is used by JeM to hold its propaganda meetings and rallies.
Hours after the government confirmed the air strikes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Rajasthan’s Churu, said: “I assure you, the country is in safe hands.”
Soon after the news was announced, netizens set Twitter on fire with memes celebrating the IAF. Here are some:
Pakistani aircraft ready 2 fight back with India. OMG dar gyaaaa hum . 🇮🇳 Jai hind. How’s the JOSH in Islamabad. 🤔 Very low pic.twitter.com/Lq3Oat4mUb
— Neal (@nealx28) February 26, 2019
This is what actually happened. pic.twitter.com/m7kTZbSATx
— Aditya (@Aditya03298544) February 26, 2019
अल्लाह के इतने ज्यादा बन्दे पहुँच गये के हुरे कम पड़ गयी..!!
😁😂😁— Arvind Ashi yadav (@arvindashiyadav) February 26, 2019
किसी ने ध्यान दिया क्या आज ही पुलवामा शहीदों की तेरहवीं है।
समय और तारीख पहले ही तय थी।
— Surendra (@surendra_pali) February 26, 2019
— ViVi (@vivek2223) February 26, 2019
After #Surgicalstrike2 pic.twitter.com/m0J73oAGyj
— N.S.Slathia (@Nirdoshss) February 26, 2019
Pakistan media reaction after India aircraft…………….😂🤣🤣😂 pic.twitter.com/zuh8YR1A0Z
— 🇮🇳RAVI PRAKASH SINGH🇮🇳 (@raviricky) February 26, 2019
— Terminator (@bbhoee) February 26, 2019
— Soumya (@soumyaAnIndian) February 26, 2019
— IAF fan Harsh (@literallyHarsh) February 26, 2019
— Billa Daku (@Ajaydevonian1) February 26, 2019
#IndianArmyOurPride #Balakot #IndiaStrikesBack #56InchRocks pic.twitter.com/9jpySxNDg6
— Bhavook Singh 🇮🇳 (@bhavooksingh) February 26, 2019
वायु पुत्र वाले दिन (मंगलवार) को वायु सेना ने अपना काम किया। 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
जय जय श्री सीताराम ♥️♥️♥️— Deepesh Pandey (@deeps_dp85) February 26, 2019
— RAKESH HUBLI HUDGA BornIndian & ProudIndian 🇮🇳 (@RAKESH2086) February 26, 2019
And here is their super sensitive radar pic.twitter.com/lJ0fdPTdOc
— swamitwitanand (@swamitwitanand) February 26, 2019
@PMOIndia @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/YRiZpnhLia
— Saleem Bakhtiar (@saleembakhtair) February 26, 2019
5-5 मिनट पर मोबाईल चेक कर रहा हूं…
क्या पता कब बोल दें
मेरे प्यारे भाइयों- बहनों
और मित्रों…पाकिस्तान अब नहीं रहा
🤣🤣🤣— Hitesh Kumar (@HiteshK40936327) February 26, 2019
reason yeah hai pic.twitter.com/k0pqwcHrdN
— 🕉 महाकाल 🕉 (@Tera_Kaal) February 26, 2019
ये नया भारत है.,
ये घर में घुसेगा भी,और घुसकर मारेगा भी ..जय मोदी जय हिंद सेना 🙏🙏— [email protected] (@naginaray355) February 26, 2019
Meanwhile, Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor admitted that the IAF violated the Line of Control, but claimed that no casualties and damages were reported in the attack. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the country’s citizens to “remain prepared for all eventualities.”
