India hit terror camps across the Line of Control on Tuesday, reports said. While the government has not made an official statement on the strike, Union minister Prakash Javadekar called it a “necessary step taken by the Air Force”, NDTV reported.

Sources told PTI that the strikes involving several fighter jets destroyed camps belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfits in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

On Tuesday morning, the Indian Air Force crossed the LoC and hastily “dropped payload” near Balakot, Pakistan said. 

Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted: 

“The Indian aircrafts’ intrusion across LoC in Muzafarabad Sector within AJ&K was 3-4 miles,” he said.

Ghafoor also posted images of the open space where the payload was allegedly dropped. He said there had been no casualties or damage.

The statement from Pakistan came amid reports that Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a terrorist camp across the LoC and destroyed it. 

Two Mirage 2000 jets dropped 1000 kg bombs on terror camps across LoC at 3:30am on 26 February, ANI reported quoting Indian Air Force sources.

ANI reports that the Air Force has put all air defence systems along the international border and LoC on high alert to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force. 

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has tweeted in support of Air Force pilots.

The reports of a strike come days after the Pulwama terror attack on 14 February in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated further since the attack for which India has blamed its neighbour. 

After the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces were given a free hand to avenge it.

On 24 February, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked Modi to “give peace a chance” and assured him that he “stands by” his words and will “immediately act” if New Delhi provides Islamabad with “actionable intelligence” on the Pulwama attack.