PM Modi awake all night, monitored IAF operation

February 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was up all night as he monitored the Indian Air Force (IAF) operation to destroy a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan, relaxing only after all the pilots returned safely home, government sources said Tuesday. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval also was up all night along with the PM and tracked the operation real-time.

After congratulating all those involved in the operation around 4.30 am, he got busy with his daily routine as he prepared for a full day’s schedule, including the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security at his residence around 10 am. “The prime minister did not sleep a wink all night and remained intimately involved in the operations,” said one source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The prime minister is learnt to have been in touch with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Air Force Chief B.S. Dhanoa before, during and after the operation. However, is not clear if he was at home or at some other location where a control room monitored the historic events about to unfold. Sources said the government considered the prevailing mood in the country, with people paying moving tributes to the CRPF soldiers who died in the Pulwama terror attack and demanding strong action.

Sources say fighters and other aircraft took off from several air bases at about the same time, leaving Pakistani defence officials confused about where they were heading. Based on intelligence inputs over the last few days, Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jets dropped six bombs at the biggest camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, killing over 300 terrorists including Jaish chief Masood Azhar’s brother-in-law Yousuf Azhar, sources said. The camp was a training facility for suicide bombers.