Turkish air strikes have hit several towns across northern Syria. The air raids have killed at least six members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and six pro-regime soldiers. Watch the full video to know more

Turkey launches airstrikes over northern Syria

The Saudi-led coalition is launching airstrikes on legitimate military targets in Yemen's capital. Sana'a has warned civilians not to gather around or approach the targeted areas.

Yemen: Saudi-led coalition launches airstrikes, Yemen locked in downward spiral

The Ethiopian government carried out a second air strike within hours on the Tigray region on Wednesday, injuring at least 14 people

Ethiopia conducts two air strikes on Tigray within hours, 14 injured

Palestinians fired uninterrupted barrages of rockets into Israel, as its military pounded Gaza with air strikes through the early hours of Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of clashes in Jerusalem.&nbsp;Nine children were among the 20 dead in Gaza on Monday.

Explosions shook buildings throughout Gaza and rocket sirens sent Israelis in many southern towns scurrying for shelter overnight. Two Palestinians were killed and more than 100 wounded in air strikes, Palestinian officials said.&nbsp;

Six Israelis were wounded by a rocket, medics said.&nbsp;

On Monday, scores of rockets were launched into Israel. Many&nbsp;were intercepted by missile defences.&nbsp;

The events were unleashed by Gaza militants firing on the Jerusalem area for the first time since a 2014 war, crossing what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a 'red line'.&nbsp;

The upsurge in violence came as Israel celebrated 'Jerusalem Day', marking its capture of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.&nbsp;

The escalation began with confrontations at al-Aqsa Mosque in the heart of the walled Old City on the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary - the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.&nbsp;

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said more than 300 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police, who fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas in the compound. Police said 21 officers were hurt in the skirmishes.&nbsp;

Although the trouble died down after a few hours, there were other focal points of tension, such as the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem just north of the Old City, where several Palestinian families face eviction from homes claimed by Jewish settlers in a long-running legal case.&nbsp;

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, set an evening deadline for Israel to remove its police from Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah. When it expired, sirens wailed in Jerusalem and rockets pounded the city's outskirts.&nbsp;

Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, including the eastern part annexed after the 1967 war in a move that has not secured international recognition.&nbsp;

Palestinians want East Jerusalem for the capital of a state they seek in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.&nbsp;

Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on Jerusalem.&nbsp;

The Israeli military said it struck targets that included militant operatives, attack tunnels and the home of a Hamas battalion commander.&nbsp;

Of the 20 Palestinians killed on Monday, seven, including three children, were family members, who died in an explosion in the town of Beit Hanoun.&nbsp;It is unclear if it had been caused by an Israeli strike or a Palestinian rocket that had fallen short.&nbsp;

An Israeli military spokesman said about a third of the Palestinian rockets fired had fallen short and caused damage and casualties inside Gaza.&nbsp;

International efforts to stem the violence appeared to have already. A Palestinian official said that Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, which have mediated truces between Israel and Hamas in the past, were in contact with the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh.&nbsp;

Tension had been building for weeks during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, amid clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters prompting international concern that events could spiral out of control.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Palestinians fired uninterrupted barrages of rockets into Israel, as its military pounded Gaza with air strikes through the early hours of Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of clashes in Jerusalem.

Palestinians fired uninterrupted barrages of rockets into Israel, as its military pounded Gaza with air strikes through the early hours of Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of clashes in Jerusalem. Nine children were among the 20 dead in Gaza on Monday. Explosions shook buildings throughout Gaza and rocket sirens sent Israelis in many southern towns scurrying for shelter overnight. Two Palestinians were killed and more than 100 wounded in air strikes, Palestinian officials said. Six Israelis were wounded by a rocket, medics said. On Monday, scores of rockets were launched into Israel. Many were intercepted by missile defences. The events were unleashed by Gaza militants firing on the Jerusalem area for the first time since a 2014 war, crossing what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a 'red line'. The upsurge in violence came as Israel celebrated 'Jerusalem Day', marking its capture of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The escalation began with confrontations at al-Aqsa Mosque in the heart of the walled Old City on the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary - the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said more than 300 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police, who fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas in the compound. Police said 21 officers were hurt in the skirmishes. Although the trouble died down after a few hours, there were other focal points of tension, such as the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem just north of the Old City, where several Palestinian families face eviction from homes claimed by Jewish settlers in a long-running legal case. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, set an evening deadline for Israel to remove its police from Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah. When it expired, sirens wailed in Jerusalem and rockets pounded the city's outskirts. Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, including the eastern part annexed after the 1967 war in a move that has not secured international recognition. Palestinians want East Jerusalem for the capital of a state they seek in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on Jerusalem. The Israeli military said it struck targets that included militant operatives, attack tunnels and the home of a Hamas battalion commander. Of the 20 Palestinians killed on Monday, seven, including three children, were family members, who died in an explosion in the town of Beit Hanoun. It is unclear if it had been caused by an Israeli strike or a Palestinian rocket that had fallen short. An Israeli military spokesman said about a third of the Palestinian rockets fired had fallen short and caused damage and casualties inside Gaza. International efforts to stem the violence appeared to have already. A Palestinian official said that Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, which have mediated truces between Israel and Hamas in the past, were in contact with the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh. Tension had been building for weeks during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, amid clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters prompting international concern that events could spiral out of control. (With inputs from agencies)

At least 20 dead as Israel strikes Gaza after Palestinian rocket firings 

About 3,000 villagers from Myanmar's southeastern Karen state fled to Thailand on Sunday following air attacks by the army on an area held by an ethnic armed group, an activist group and local media said.&nbsp;

Myanmar’s military launched air strikes on five areas in Mutraw district, near the border, including a displacement camp, the Karen Women’s Organization said.&nbsp;

"At the moment, villagers are hiding in the jungle as more than 3,000 crossed to Thailand to take refuge," a statement from the group said.&nbsp;

Thai PBS reported about 3,000 had reached Thailand.&nbsp;

Thai authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;

At least two soldiers from the Karen National Union were killed, said David Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers, a relief organisation.&nbsp;

"We haven’t had air strikes there for over 20 years," Eubank said. "Second, these were at night, so the capability of the Burma military has increased with the help of Russia and China and other nations, and that is deadly."&nbsp;

In an air attack by the military on Saturday, at least three civilians were killed in a village controlled by the KNU, a civil society group said. The militia earlier said it had overrun an army post near the border, killing 10 people.&nbsp;

The air assaults are the most significant attack for years in the region. The KNU had signed a ceasefire agreement in 2015 but tensions have surged after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government on February 1.&nbsp;

The KNU and the Restoration Council of Shan State, also based on the Thai border, have condemned the takeover and announced their support for public resistance.&nbsp;

KNU says it has been sheltering hundreds of people, who have fled central Myanmar amid mounting violence in recent weeks.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

About 3,000 villagers from Myanmar's southeastern Karen state fled to Thailand on Sunday following air attacks by the army on an area held by an ethnic armed group, an activist group and local media said.

About 3,000 villagers from Myanmar's southeastern Karen state fled to Thailand on Sunday following air attacks by the army on an area held by an ethnic armed group, an activist group and local media said. Myanmar’s military launched air strikes on five areas in Mutraw district, near the border, including a displacement camp, the Karen Women’s Organization said. "At the moment, villagers are hiding in the jungle as more than 3,000 crossed to Thailand to take refuge," a statement from the group said. Thai PBS reported about 3,000 had reached Thailand. Thai authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. At least two soldiers from the Karen National Union were killed, said David Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers, a relief organisation. "We haven’t had air strikes there for over 20 years," Eubank said. "Second, these were at night, so the capability of the Burma military has increased with the help of Russia and China and other nations, and that is deadly." In an air attack by the military on Saturday, at least three civilians were killed in a village controlled by the KNU, a civil society group said. The militia earlier said it had overrun an army post near the border, killing 10 people. The air assaults are the most significant attack for years in the region. The KNU had signed a ceasefire agreement in 2015 but tensions have surged after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government on February 1. The KNU and the Restoration Council of Shan State, also based on the Thai border, have condemned the takeover and announced their support for public resistance. KNU says it has been sheltering hundreds of people, who have fled central Myanmar amid mounting violence in recent weeks. (With inputs from agencies)

'Thousands flee to Thailand after Myanmar army's air strikes on villages'  

Myanmar army fighter jets launched air strikes on Saturday on a village near the Thai border in territory controlled by an armed ethnic group, the group said, as fears grow of civil war following last month's military coup.&nbsp;

The Karen National Union (KNU), the armed ethnic group that controls the southeastern region, said fighter jets attacked Day Pu No in Papun district, an area held by its Brigade 5 forces, at around 8 pm, forcing villagers to flee.&nbsp;

"They bombed the area... The villagers from that area said two dead and two injured," a spokesperson for civil society group Karen Peace Support Network said, adding that communication was difficult in the remote region and there could be more casualties.&nbsp;

A spokesman for the junta did not answer phone calls seeking comment.&nbsp;

The reported air assault is the most significant attack for years in the region. The KNU had signed a ceasefire agreement in 2015 but tensions surged after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government on February 1.&nbsp;

Earlier on Saturday, the KNU said Brigade 5 forces overran an army base, killing 10 soldiers including a lieutenant-colonel, as the junta celebrated its annual Armed Forces Day with a parade in the capital, Naypyitaw.&nbsp;

The KNU says it has been sheltering hundreds of people, who have fled central Myanmar amid mounting violence in recent weeks. The junta's troops killed dozens of people on Saturday, including children, in one of the bloodiest days of protests since the coup, news reports and witnesses said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;

Myanmar army fighter jets launched air strikes on Saturday on a village near the Thai border in territory controlled by an armed ethnic group, the group said, as fears grow of civil war following last month's military coup.

Myanmar army fighter jets launched air strikes on Saturday on a village near the Thai border in territory controlled by an armed ethnic group, the group said, as fears grow of civil war following last month's military coup. The Karen National Union (KNU), the armed ethnic group that controls the southeastern region, said fighter jets attacked Day Pu No in Papun district, an area held by its Brigade 5 forces, at around 8 pm, forcing villagers to flee. "They bombed the area... The villagers from that area said two dead and two injured," a spokesperson for civil society group Karen Peace Support Network said, adding that communication was difficult in the remote region and there could be more casualties. A spokesman for the junta did not answer phone calls seeking comment. The reported air assault is the most significant attack for years in the region. The KNU had signed a ceasefire agreement in 2015 but tensions surged after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government on February 1. Earlier on Saturday, the KNU said Brigade 5 forces overran an army base, killing 10 soldiers including a lieutenant-colonel, as the junta celebrated its annual Armed Forces Day with a parade in the capital, Naypyitaw. The KNU says it has been sheltering hundreds of people, who have fled central Myanmar amid mounting violence in recent weeks. The junta's troops killed dozens of people on Saturday, including children, in one of the bloodiest days of protests since the coup, news reports and witnesses said. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar army launches air strikes in Karen state, says group 

March 19 in history: From mass suicide in China to US' air strikes on Baghdad

The U.S. military on Sunday defended its air strikes against Taliban fighters last week as the insurgent group accused Washington of violating their signed agreement and warned of consequences if such actions continued.

The Taliban launched a major offensive in the southern province of Helmand in a bid to take the provincial capital, prompting U.S. air strikes in support of Afghan security forces, which were being overrun.

"American forces have violated the Doha agreement in various forms by carrying out excessive air strikes following the new developments in Helmand province," Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement on Sunday.

The U.S.-Taliban agreement, signed in Doha, provides for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees and a pledge from the insurgents to sit down with the Kabul administration to find a peaceful settlement to decades of war.

"Responsibility and consequences from continuation of such actions shall fall squarely on the shoulders of the American side," Ahmadi warned, adding that air and drone strikes had also been carried out in other provinces.

Col. Sonny Leggett, spokesman for the U.S. forces, denied that the strikes violated the agreement.

"The entire world has witnessed the Taliban`s offensive operations in Helmand - attacks which injured and displaced thousands of innocent Afghan civilians," Leggett tweeted, reiterating a call for "all sides" to reduce violence.

Talks between Taliban and Afghan government negotiators began last month in Doha, but the process has only moved slowly, while violence has continued. Diplomats and officials have said this is sapping the trust required for the talks to succeed.

After the Helmand fighting, U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Thursday that the Taliban had agreed to "reset" their commitments and reduce the number of casualties.

Earlier this month, the Taliban welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump`s tweet that all American troops should be "home by Christmas" - well before the May 2021 timeline agreed in Doha.

The U.S. military on Sunday defended its air strikes against Taliban fighters last week as the insurgent group accused Washington of violating their signed agreement and warned of consequences if such actions continued.

The U.S. military on Sunday defended its air strikes against Taliban fighters last week as the insurgent group accused Washington of violating their signed agreement and warned of consequences if such actions continued. The Taliban launched a major offensive in the southern province of Helmand in a bid to take the provincial capital, prompting U.S. air strikes in support of Afghan security forces, which were being overrun. "American forces have violated the Doha agreement in various forms by carrying out excessive air strikes following the new developments in Helmand province," Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement on Sunday. The U.S.-Taliban agreement, signed in Doha, provides for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees and a pledge from the insurgents to sit down with the Kabul administration to find a peaceful settlement to decades of war. "Responsibility and consequences from continuation of such actions shall fall squarely on the shoulders of the American side," Ahmadi warned, adding that air and drone strikes had also been carried out in other provinces. Col. Sonny Leggett, spokesman for the U.S. forces, denied that the strikes violated the agreement. "The entire world has witnessed the Taliban`s offensive operations in Helmand - attacks which injured and displaced thousands of innocent Afghan civilians," Leggett tweeted, reiterating a call for "all sides" to reduce violence. Talks between Taliban and Afghan government negotiators began last month in Doha, but the process has only moved slowly, while violence has continued. Diplomats and officials have said this is sapping the trust required for the talks to succeed. After the Helmand fighting, U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Thursday that the Taliban had agreed to "reset" their commitments and reduce the number of casualties. Earlier this month, the Taliban welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump`s tweet that all American troops should be "home by Christmas" - well before the May 2021 timeline agreed in Doha.

US military defends air strikes as Taliban warns of 'consequences'

Government airstrikes have hit hospitals and refugee camps in northwest Syria and killed about 300 civilians as President Bashar al-Assad's forces press an assault against the last rebel stronghold, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

Government airstrikes have hit hospitals and refugee camps in northwest Syria and killed about 300 civilians as President Bashar al-Assad's forces press an assault against the last rebel stronghold, the United Nations said on Tuesday. UN officials said relief agencies were overwhelmed by the humanitarian crisis as nearly one million civilians, most of them women and children, had fled towards the Turkish border in bitter winter conditions to escape the onslaught. "Civilians fleeing the fighting are being squeezed into areas without safe shelter that is shrinking in size by the hour. And still, they are bombed. They simply have nowhere to go," UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said. Also Read: Syrian forces consolidate control of Aleppo, air strikes underway Syrian and Russian warplanes meanwhile kept up raids on the town of Darat Izza in Aleppo province on Tuesday, witnesses said, a day after two hospitals there were badly damaged. At Al Kinana Hospital, blown-out walls and dust-covered medical cables and supplies were strewn about the hospital after two staff were wounded on Monday, witnesses said. Ankara said talks with Moscow on Idlib were "not satisfactory" and Turkey would deploy more troops to the region. Turkish and Russian officials held a second day of talks in Moscow with no apparent agreement on Idlib, where the latest push by Russian-backed Syrian government forces has killed several Turkish troops. Watch: Turkey-Russia talks on Syria's Idlib inconclusive Russia said both sides restated their commitment to existing agreements aimed at reducing tension in Idlib. A statement did not mention Turkey's demand for Syrian government forces to pull back. Turkey says it cannot cope with a new refugee influx in addition to the 3.6 million Syrian refugees already stranded inside its borders. Appearing on national television on Monday, Assad said the rapid military gains presaged the eventual defeat of the nine-year-old insurgency against him although it could still take time. The rebel factions include Turkish-backed rebels and jihadist militants. Possible war crimes UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville, asked if Syria and Russia were deliberately targeting civilians and protected buildings, said: "The sheer quantity of attacks on hospitals, medical facilities, and schools would suggest they cannot all be accidental." The attacks could constitute war crimes, Colville told a briefing in Geneva. The UN human rights office said it had recorded 299 civilian deaths since January 1, about 93 per cent caused by the Syrian government and its allies. Also Read: 250,000 migrants fleeing from Syria's Idlib towards Turkey: Tayyip Erdogan The swift advance of government troops, backed by Russian airstrikes, through northwest Syria has caused the biggest displacement of the war as people flee towards a shrinking pocket near the Turkish frontier where insurgents hold their last strongholds. A UN spokesman, David Swanson, said close to 900,000 people have fled conflict zones in Idlib province and western Aleppo since December, more than 80 per cent of them women and children. Many have been unable to find shelter and are sleeping outside in freezing temperatures, burning plastic to stay warm and at risk of disease and death. "Only half of all the health facilities in the northwest are still functioning now," Swanson said. Hurras Network, a Save the Children partner in Idlib, said seven children including a seven-month-old baby had died from freezing temperatures and bleak conditions in camps. About 525,000 children are among those trapped, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said. Also Read: Will not withdraw from army posts in Syria's Idlib: Turkey The Syrian army said on Monday it had taken full control of dozens of towns in the Aleppo countryside. The M5 highway linking Damascus to Aleppo, the focus of recent fighting, was re-opened to civilian traffic on Tuesday after government forces recaptured it last week, the Syrian Observatory war monitoring group reported. The opposition said airstrikes in southern areas of Idlib province had left dozens of towns and villages in ruins in what is called a "scorched earth policy". The Russian and Turkish delegations met in Moscow to reconcile their differences over Idlib, which has raised questions over the durability of their cooperation. Also Read: Syria regime must halt 'escalation of violence': European Union Turkey has sent thousands of troops and convoys of military equipment to reinforce its observation posts in Idlib, established under a 2018 de-escalation agreement with Russia. Moscow has accused Turkey of flouting their agreements and failing to rein in militants it said were attacking Syrian and Russian forces. In one positive note, Turkish and Russian troops have restarted joint patrols near the border that had been halted since October, a Russian defence ministry official said. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said the WHO was sending essential medicines and supplies across the border, including trauma kits for Idlib.

Air strikes hit hospitals, camps in northwest Syria; 300 civilian casualties

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi has condemned the US air strikes which killed at least 25 members of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia. The prime minister appeared to suggest that Iraq would now have to review its relationship with the US. #Iraq #IraqiPrimeMinister #IraqPM #US #USAirStrikes

Iraq PM Kataib Hezbollah condemns US airstrikes

Pro-regime forces were locked in heavy fighting with insurgents Sunday near a jihadist-run town in northwestern Syria, leaving dozens of combatants dead, a war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../clashes-kill-70-combatants-in-northwest-syria- report-242094"> "fierce clashes"</a> between loyalist forces, jihadists and allied rebels were taking place one kilometre (0.6 miles) west of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province.

The latest fighting broke out overnight Saturday to Sunday and has already<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../syria-at-least-17-killed-in-airstrikes-in-idlib- 243724"> killed</a> at least 45 jihadists and allied rebels as well as 17 members of the pro-regime forces, the Britain-based monitor said.

The town of Khan Sheikhun lies on a key highway coveted by the regime.

The road runs through <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../syria-regime-gains-ground-in-deadly-idlib-push -monitor-242164">Idlib</a>, connecting government-held Damascus with the northern city of Aleppo, which was retaken by loyalists from rebels in December 2016.

Pro-regime forces are deployed around three kilometres from the road and have been advancing over the past few days in a bid to encircle Khan Sheikhun from the north and the west and seize the highway.

On Sunday they retook the village of Tel al-Nar and nearby farmland northwest of Khan Sheikhun "and were moving close to the highway," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

But their advance from the east was being slowed down due to "a ferocious resistance" from jihadists and allied rebels.

Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of the neighbouring provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia.

A buffer zone deal brokered by Russia and Turkey last year was supposed to protect the Idlib region's three million inhabitants from an all-out regime offensive, but it was never fully implemented.

Regime and Russian airstrikes and shelling since late April have killed more than 860 civilians, according to the Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information.&nbsp;

On Sunday air strikes by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../syrian-army-takes-strategic-town-from-rebels-in -new-advance-242227">Syrian regime</a> and its ally Russia killed two people, including a child, in the south of Idlib, the Observatory said.

More than 1,400 insurgents and over 1,200 pro-regime forces have been killed since April, according to the monitor.

The violence has displaced more than 400,000 people, the United Nations says.

Khan Sheikhun was hit by a chemical attack that killed more than 80 people in April 2017, attributed to the Syrian regime by the UN and international experts.&nbsp;

In response, US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on the regime's key Shayrat airbase.&nbsp;

Now almost emptied of inhabitants, Khan Sheikhun sheltered almost 100,000 people before the start of the current military escalation, the majority displaced from Hama province.

"Many of these people have been displaced up to five times," the UN's regional spokesman for the Syria crisis, David Swanson, told AFP on Saturday.

Pro-regime forces were locked in heavy fighting with insurgents Sunday near a jihadist-run town in northwestern Syria, leaving dozens of combatants dead, a war monitor said.

Pro-regime forces were locked in heavy fighting with insurgents Sunday near a jihadist-run town in northwestern Syria, leaving dozens of combatants dead, a war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "fierce clashes" between loyalist forces, jihadists and allied rebels were taking place one kilometre (0.6 miles) west of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province. The latest fighting broke out overnight Saturday to Sunday and has already killed at least 45 jihadists and allied rebels as well as 17 members of the pro-regime forces, the Britain-based monitor said. The town of Khan Sheikhun lies on a key highway coveted by the regime. The road runs through Idlib, connecting government-held Damascus with the northern city of Aleppo, which was retaken by loyalists from rebels in December 2016. Pro-regime forces are deployed around three kilometres from the road and have been advancing over the past few days in a bid to encircle Khan Sheikhun from the north and the west and seize the highway. On Sunday they retook the village of Tel al-Nar and nearby farmland northwest of Khan Sheikhun "and were moving close to the highway," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. But their advance from the east was being slowed down due to "a ferocious resistance" from jihadists and allied rebels. Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of the neighbouring provinces of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia. A buffer zone deal brokered by Russia and Turkey last year was supposed to protect the Idlib region's three million inhabitants from an all-out regime offensive, but it was never fully implemented. Regime and Russian airstrikes and shelling since late April have killed more than 860 civilians, according to the Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information. On Sunday air strikes by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia killed two people, including a child, in the south of Idlib, the Observatory said. More than 1,400 insurgents and over 1,200 pro-regime forces have been killed since April, according to the monitor. The violence has displaced more than 400,000 people, the United Nations says. Khan Sheikhun was hit by a chemical attack that killed more than 80 people in April 2017, attributed to the Syrian regime by the UN and international experts. In response, US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on the regime's key Shayrat airbase. Now almost emptied of inhabitants, Khan Sheikhun sheltered almost 100,000 people before the start of the current military escalation, the majority displaced from Hama province. "Many of these people have been displaced up to five times," the UN's regional spokesman for the Syria crisis, David Swanson, told AFP on Saturday.

'Dozens killed' as Syria regime forces battle jihadists

Airstrikes by the Syrian government and its allies on schools, hospitals, markets, and bakeries have killed at least 103 civilians in the past 10 days, including 26 children, U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Friday (July 26) read out by one of her spokesman. "These are civilian objects, and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident," OHCHR spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing in Geneva, adding that the rising toll had been met with "apparent international indifference." The government began its offensive against the rebel enclave in northwest Syria, the last area of active insurgent opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, at the end of April, saying it was responding to violations of a truce.

U.N. says Syria air strikes killed at least 100 civilians in past 10 days

The US-led coalition said Friday it had unintentionally killed more than 1,300 civilians in air strikes during its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-caliphate-collapse-jihadists-head-to-afghanistan-to-plot-attacks-214689">fight against the Islamic State group</a> in Iraq and Syria since 2014.

The figure is far lower than the death tolls given by groups which have monitored the conflicts in the two countries.

"The coalition conducted 34,502 strikes between August 2014 and the end of April 2019," it said in a statement.

During this period, it "assesses at least 1,302 civilians have been unintentionally killed by coalition strikes".

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/long-after-guns-fall-silent-mosul-residents-suffer-hearing-loss-221700">Long after guns fall silent, Mosul residents suffer hearing loss</a>

The coalition said it was still assessing 111 additional claims of civilians deaths and was ready to receive new allegations or fresh evidence to review.

The coalition has repeatedly said it does all it can to avoid civilian deaths.

Watch: Wounded and alone, children emerge from last Islamic State enclave in Baghouz

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Airwars, an NGO which monitors civilian casualties from air strikes worldwide, estimates more than 7,900 civilians have been killed in coalition raids -- well in excess of the total acknowledged by the coalition.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, says coalition strikes have taken the lives of 3,800 civilians in Syria alone.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-airs-video-purporting-to-be-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-214624">IS jihadists </a>seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, declaring a "caliphate" in areas they controlled.

But several offensives with coalition backing chipped away at the "caliphate" until it was declared eliminated on March 23.

Ambushes and hit-and-run attacks have continued in both countries.

The coalition is continuing to work "to deny Daesh any physical space and influence in the region as well as deny Daesh the resources they need to resurge", it said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. 
&nbsp;

The US-led coalition said Friday it had unintentionally killed more than 1,300 civilians in air strikes during its fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria since 2014.

The US-led coalition said Friday it had unintentionally killed more than 1,300 civilians in air strikes during its fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria since 2014. The figure is far lower than the death tolls given by groups which have monitored the conflicts in the two countries. "The coalition conducted 34,502 strikes between August 2014 and the end of April 2019," it said in a statement. During this period, it "assesses at least 1,302 civilians have been unintentionally killed by coalition strikes". Also read: Long after guns fall silent, Mosul residents suffer hearing loss The coalition said it was still assessing 111 additional claims of civilians deaths and was ready to receive new allegations or fresh evidence to review. The coalition has repeatedly said it does all it can to avoid civilian deaths. Watch: Wounded and alone, children emerge from last Islamic State enclave in Baghouz × Airwars, an NGO which monitors civilian casualties from air strikes worldwide, estimates more than 7,900 civilians have been killed in coalition raids -- well in excess of the total acknowledged by the coalition. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, says coalition strikes have taken the lives of 3,800 civilians in Syria alone. IS jihadists seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, declaring a "caliphate" in areas they controlled. But several offensives with coalition backing chipped away at the "caliphate" until it was declared eliminated on March 23. Ambushes and hit-and-run attacks have continued in both countries. The coalition is continuing to work "to deny Daesh any physical space and influence in the region as well as deny Daesh the resources they need to resurge", it said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

We unintentionally killed 1,300 civilians in air strikes on Islamic State: US-led coalition

The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-new-air-strikes-as-syria-army-battles-jihadists-221023"> latest strikes in the fiercest wave of regime</a> bombardment on a jihadist enclave in northwestern Syria killed at least 15 civilians on Wednesday, a war monitor said, despite calls to halt the attacks.&nbsp;

Air strikes by Russian and government warplanes, some using barrel bombs, and shelling have claimed a mounting civilian death toll over the past few weeks.

The violence, which comes despite a truce deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in September, has caused mass displacement and heightened fears of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in Syria's eight-year conflict.

The United States and the United Nations demanded an end to the bombardment on Tuesday, as strikes by Damascus killed 27 people -- the single highest civilian death toll in the region since the regime increased its attacks in late April.

But the aerial bombardment on Wednesday did not relent against Idlib province, most of which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate.

According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring organisation, seven of Wednesday's victims were killed in an air raid on the village of Sarja.

A father and his three children were killed in the village of Bara and four other civilians died in strikes in the towns of Hbeit and Areen, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman.

"The bombardment by the regime and Russia continues to be intense on several areas. The Russian strikes are focused on Khan Sheikhun but have not caused any casualties for now," he said.

Syrian state news agency SANA reported one woman was killed by jihadist shelling on northern Hama.

'Spare no effort'

The civilian death toll has mounted in and around Idlib in recent days, reaching more than 270 over the past month, according to the Observatory.

In villages struck by regime raids, excavators have dug new graves and civilians buried the dead stealthily at dusk to avoid being targeted by more air raids.&nbsp;

Despite the surge in attacks the government has not announced an all-out offensive to retake the entire jihadist enclave, a large area which is home to almost three million people.

Analysts predict that President Bashar al-Assad and his allies will continue to chip away at the area but not unleash a major assault that would create chaos on Turkey's doorstep.

The regime is likely to continue applying sustained military pressure whilst attempting to preserve the fragile truce agreement reached in Russia last year to spare the region a large-scale humanitarian disaster.

On Tuesday, Syria's UN envoy Bashar Jaafari said Damascus "will spare no effort" to end the jihadist control of Idlib, according to comments carried by SANA.

UN deputy aid chief Ursula Mueller, however, told the Security Council that a further escalation would threaten humanitarian assistance for the region's residents. &nbsp;

She said some 270,000 people had been displaced by the fighting in Idlib since late April.

Aid agencies have been forced to suspend their work in some areas, she said.

At least 23 medical facilities have been hit since April 28, including two medical facilities that have been attacked twice, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office.

Five health workers have died and 7 others were injured as a result, he told AFP on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The United States has said that "indiscriminate attacks on civilians and public infrastructure such as schools, markets and hospitals is a reckless escalation."

The latest strikes in the fiercest wave of regime bombardment on a jihadist enclave in northwestern Syria killed at least 15 civilians on Wednesday, a war monitor said, despite calls to halt the attacks.

The latest strikes in the fiercest wave of regime bombardment on a jihadist enclave in northwestern Syria killed at least 15 civilians on Wednesday, a war monitor said, despite calls to halt the attacks. Air strikes by Russian and government warplanes, some using barrel bombs, and shelling have claimed a mounting civilian death toll over the past few weeks. The violence, which comes despite a truce deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in September, has caused mass displacement and heightened fears of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in Syria's eight-year conflict. The United States and the United Nations demanded an end to the bombardment on Tuesday, as strikes by Damascus killed 27 people -- the single highest civilian death toll in the region since the regime increased its attacks in late April. But the aerial bombardment on Wednesday did not relent against Idlib province, most of which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring organisation, seven of Wednesday's victims were killed in an air raid on the village of Sarja. A father and his three children were killed in the village of Bara and four other civilians died in strikes in the towns of Hbeit and Areen, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. "The bombardment by the regime and Russia continues to be intense on several areas. The Russian strikes are focused on Khan Sheikhun but have not caused any casualties for now," he said. Syrian state news agency SANA reported one woman was killed by jihadist shelling on northern Hama. 'Spare no effort' The civilian death toll has mounted in and around Idlib in recent days, reaching more than 270 over the past month, according to the Observatory. In villages struck by regime raids, excavators have dug new graves and civilians buried the dead stealthily at dusk to avoid being targeted by more air raids. Despite the surge in attacks the government has not announced an all-out offensive to retake the entire jihadist enclave, a large area which is home to almost three million people. Analysts predict that President Bashar al-Assad and his allies will continue to chip away at the area but not unleash a major assault that would create chaos on Turkey's doorstep. The regime is likely to continue applying sustained military pressure whilst attempting to preserve the fragile truce agreement reached in Russia last year to spare the region a large-scale humanitarian disaster. On Tuesday, Syria's UN envoy Bashar Jaafari said Damascus "will spare no effort" to end the jihadist control of Idlib, according to comments carried by SANA. UN deputy aid chief Ursula Mueller, however, told the Security Council that a further escalation would threaten humanitarian assistance for the region's residents. She said some 270,000 people had been displaced by the fighting in Idlib since late April. Aid agencies have been forced to suspend their work in some areas, she said. At least 23 medical facilities have been hit since April 28, including two medical facilities that have been attacked twice, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office. Five health workers have died and 7 others were injured as a result, he told AFP on Wednesday. The United States has said that "indiscriminate attacks on civilians and public infrastructure such as schools, markets and hospitals is a reckless escalation."

Fresh strikes on Syria jihadist enclave kill 15

For months, Alia Ali endured the din of fighting in Iraq's second city Mosul. Then a missile slammed into her home, killing her husband and her hearing.

The 59-year-old lost her sense of sound in the final phase of the ferocious battle between government forces and jihadists of the Islamic State group, not long before the guns fell silent in July 2017.

For nearly nine months, air strikes, mortar rounds and car bombs pummelled the city relentlessly, and thousands of residents still suffer hearing problems ranging from tinnitus to profound deafness.

"I lost my sense of hearing two years ago," Ali recalled.

"A warplane hit our neighbourhood in the fight for the western half of the city and my husband died of very bad burns," she told AFP.

Ali spent two years piecing her life back together, but could not afford to get specialised care for her diminished hearing.

"We lost our home and all our possessions -- we didn't have money to go to private clinics," she said.

Blasts in conflict zones can propel debris into the human ear and rupture the eardrum, which transmits sound further into the cochlea.&nbsp;

Nerves in the cochlea, which sends sound on to the brain to be processed, can also be destroyed by explosions.

Mines have noise levels approaching 170 decibels -- twice the loudness needed to cause permanent damage to ears.

Bleeding, nerve damage&nbsp;

In Mosul, civilians were exposed to repeated loud blasts that sent between 15 and 20 a day to hospitals complaining of hearing loss.

"They were bleeding from their ears because of the shelling, but they had nothing to stop the flow," according to hearing specialist Mohammad Saleh.&nbsp;

"Some never recovered because their nerve cells were torn by the loud sounds."

Mosul's health infrastructure was ravaged by IS's reign and subsequent fighting, with the 6,000 hospital beds available before the jihadist takeover reduced to just 1,000.

With help from outside charities, hospitals are slowly reopening wing by wing.&nbsp;

At Jumhuriya hospital in west Mosul, a specialised hearing impairment centre opened its doors less than a year ago with backing from Iraq's Dary Humanitarian Organisation.

The waiting room is packed with people, young and old, waiting to get long-delayed hearing tests to see how badly the blasts have damaged their ears.&nbsp;

"My hearing deteriorated after three mortars hit my house in west Mosul," 65-year-old Fathi Hussein yelled.

He can only respond to questions that are virtually screamed and answers them at the same volume.&nbsp;

"I put off treatment because I'm poor. I don't have the money for consultations or medicine," he said.&nbsp;

Since the centre opened less than a year ago, it has treated several thousand patients, according to specialist Mohammad Said.&nbsp;

"We have distributed 2,000 hearing aids so far. More complex cases get sent to hospitals in Baghdad for treatment, including cochlear implants which aren't available here yet," Said told AFP.&nbsp;

He expects there are thousands of more cases that have yet to visit the Jumhuriya centre.&nbsp;

"Some patients went to private clinics, others went elsewhere in Iraq or even left the country and still others have received no treatment at all," he said.

&nbsp;'I want to go to school'&nbsp;

For younger patients, partial deafness means more than just shouting to be heard -- it can affect schooling.

"In kids especially, hearing loss can damage speaking ability," Said said.&nbsp;

"It's extremely important because it means the hearing aids we distribute aren't enough, and these children are in need of treatments and speaking rehabilitation that we don't offer here."

Five-year-old Mohannad may not remember much of life under bombardment in Mosul, but it will likely mar his education for years to come.

He suffers both hearing and speech impediments from the fighting that were long left untreated.&nbsp;

"I didn't notice how weak his hearing was until weeks after Mosul was liberated," his mother told AFP. &nbsp;

She said she was now desperate to get free treatment for Mohannad in time for him to finally enrol in classes this autumn.

"I want to go to school like our neighbour's son, Ahmad," Mohannad mumbled with difficulty.&nbsp;

Watch: 400,000 minor still displaced in Iraq's Mosul

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For months, Alia Ali endured the din of fighting in Iraq's second city Mosul. Then a missile slammed into her home, killing her husband and her hearing. The 59-year-old lost her sense of sound in the final phase of the ferocious battle between government forces and jihadists of the Islamic State group, not long before the guns fell silent in July 2017.

For months, Alia Ali endured the din of fighting in Iraq's second city Mosul. Then a missile slammed into her home, killing her husband and her hearing. The 59-year-old lost her sense of sound in the final phase of the ferocious battle between government forces and jihadists of the Islamic State group, not long before the guns fell silent in July 2017. For nearly nine months, air strikes, mortar rounds and car bombs pummelled the city relentlessly, and thousands of residents still suffer hearing problems ranging from tinnitus to profound deafness. "I lost my sense of hearing two years ago," Ali recalled. "A warplane hit our neighbourhood in the fight for the western half of the city and my husband died of very bad burns," she told AFP. Ali spent two years piecing her life back together, but could not afford to get specialised care for her diminished hearing. "We lost our home and all our possessions -- we didn't have money to go to private clinics," she said. Blasts in conflict zones can propel debris into the human ear and rupture the eardrum, which transmits sound further into the cochlea. Nerves in the cochlea, which sends sound on to the brain to be processed, can also be destroyed by explosions. Mines have noise levels approaching 170 decibels -- twice the loudness needed to cause permanent damage to ears. Bleeding, nerve damage In Mosul, civilians were exposed to repeated loud blasts that sent between 15 and 20 a day to hospitals complaining of hearing loss. "They were bleeding from their ears because of the shelling, but they had nothing to stop the flow," according to hearing specialist Mohammad Saleh. "Some never recovered because their nerve cells were torn by the loud sounds." Mosul's health infrastructure was ravaged by IS's reign and subsequent fighting, with the 6,000 hospital beds available before the jihadist takeover reduced to just 1,000. With help from outside charities, hospitals are slowly reopening wing by wing. At Jumhuriya hospital in west Mosul, a specialised hearing impairment centre opened its doors less than a year ago with backing from Iraq's Dary Humanitarian Organisation. The waiting room is packed with people, young and old, waiting to get long-delayed hearing tests to see how badly the blasts have damaged their ears. "My hearing deteriorated after three mortars hit my house in west Mosul," 65-year-old Fathi Hussein yelled. He can only respond to questions that are virtually screamed and answers them at the same volume. "I put off treatment because I'm poor. I don't have the money for consultations or medicine," he said. Since the centre opened less than a year ago, it has treated several thousand patients, according to specialist Mohammad Said. "We have distributed 2,000 hearing aids so far. More complex cases get sent to hospitals in Baghdad for treatment, including cochlear implants which aren't available here yet," Said told AFP. He expects there are thousands of more cases that have yet to visit the Jumhuriya centre. "Some patients went to private clinics, others went elsewhere in Iraq or even left the country and still others have received no treatment at all," he said. 'I want to go to school' For younger patients, partial deafness means more than just shouting to be heard -- it can affect schooling. "In kids especially, hearing loss can damage speaking ability," Said said. "It's extremely important because it means the hearing aids we distribute aren't enough, and these children are in need of treatments and speaking rehabilitation that we don't offer here." Five-year-old Mohannad may not remember much of life under bombardment in Mosul, but it will likely mar his education for years to come. He suffers both hearing and speech impediments from the fighting that were long left untreated. "I didn't notice how weak his hearing was until weeks after Mosul was liberated," his mother told AFP. She said she was now desperate to get free treatment for Mohannad in time for him to finally enrol in classes this autumn. "I want to go to school like our neighbour's son, Ahmad," Mohannad mumbled with difficulty. Watch: 400,000 minor still displaced in Iraq's Mosul ×

Long after guns fall silent, Mosul residents suffer hearing loss

Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in northwestern Syria overnight in the heaviest assault on the last rebel-held area since it was declared a demilitarised zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, sources said on Thursday.&nbsp;

The targeted villages and towns in northern Hama and southern Idlib fall within a buffer zone agreed last September between Russia and Turkey as part of a deal which averted a major offensive on the area.

Earlier this week Washington warned violence in the buffer zone "will result in the destabilization of the region".

Since Tuesday the Russian and Syrian military attacks have forced thousands of civilians to flee to camps further north along the Turkish border and damaged four medical facilities, according to Idlib civil defence officials and a US medical aid organisation working in the area.&nbsp;

"Medical facilities are being evacuated, leaving the most vulnerable with no access to medical care. We are on the edge of a humanitarian catastrophe," Khaula Sawah, vice president of the US-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations -USA (UOSSM US) said in a statement on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Syrian army helicopters have dropped barrel bombs, which are drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel that cause indiscriminate destruction, killing at least 15 civilians and injured dozens, rescuers in Idlib province said.

Opposition-run civil defence agencies say hundreds of people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Russian and Syrian strikes since the September deal which prevented a potentially devastating offensive on Idlib and nearby areas controlled by rebels and now home to over 3 million people.

Syrian state media, quoting army sources, blamed rebels for the attacks and said it had targeted "terrorist groups" in towns in northern Hama including Kfr Nabouda. It also said al Qaeda-inspired groups have stepped up drone attacks on Russia`s main air base near the Syrian Mediterranean coast, but that these have been unsuccessful.

Idlib is held by an array of rebel groups. The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front - an al Qaeda affiliate until 2016.

Turkey, which has supported the rebels and has troops to monitor the truce, has been negotiating with Moscow to halt the strikes with little success.

The main Turkey-backed rebel grouping said they were rushing extra fighters to the main fronts to face all "possibilities".

In response to the escalation, rebels said they mounted several rocket attacks on army positions including the Breideej army base in northern Hama, injuring and killing at least four Russian soldiers in a mortar attack that hit their vehicle.

"We have stepped up our readiness and sent troop reinforcements to confront any attack the regime and the Russians on any area," Naji al-Mustafa, spokesman for the National Liberation Front coalition of rebel groups told Reuters.

"We cannot leave matters like this.. we are preparing for any possibility.." he added.

A military defector told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the latest campaign could signal a ground offensive aimed at taking control of territory in northern rural Hama province and southern Idlib countryside.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in northwestern Syria overnight in the heaviest assault on the last rebel-held area since it was declared a demilitarised zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, sources said on Thursday.

Russian and Syrian forces intensified air strikes and shelling in northwestern Syria overnight in the heaviest assault on the last rebel-held area since it was declared a demilitarised zone under a Russian-Turkish deal, sources said on Thursday. The targeted villages and towns in northern Hama and southern Idlib fall within a buffer zone agreed last September between Russia and Turkey as part of a deal which averted a major offensive on the area. Earlier this week Washington warned violence in the buffer zone "will result in the destabilization of the region". Since Tuesday the Russian and Syrian military attacks have forced thousands of civilians to flee to camps further north along the Turkish border and damaged four medical facilities, according to Idlib civil defence officials and a US medical aid organisation working in the area. "Medical facilities are being evacuated, leaving the most vulnerable with no access to medical care. We are on the edge of a humanitarian catastrophe," Khaula Sawah, vice president of the US-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations -USA (UOSSM US) said in a statement on Wednesday. Syrian army helicopters have dropped barrel bombs, which are drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel that cause indiscriminate destruction, killing at least 15 civilians and injured dozens, rescuers in Idlib province said. Opposition-run civil defence agencies say hundreds of people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Russian and Syrian strikes since the September deal which prevented a potentially devastating offensive on Idlib and nearby areas controlled by rebels and now home to over 3 million people. Syrian state media, quoting army sources, blamed rebels for the attacks and said it had targeted "terrorist groups" in towns in northern Hama including Kfr Nabouda. It also said al Qaeda-inspired groups have stepped up drone attacks on Russia`s main air base near the Syrian Mediterranean coast, but that these have been unsuccessful. Idlib is held by an array of rebel groups. The most powerful is Tahrir al-Sham, an amalgamation of Islamist groups dominated by the former Nusra Front - an al Qaeda affiliate until 2016. Turkey, which has supported the rebels and has troops to monitor the truce, has been negotiating with Moscow to halt the strikes with little success. The main Turkey-backed rebel grouping said they were rushing extra fighters to the main fronts to face all "possibilities". In response to the escalation, rebels said they mounted several rocket attacks on army positions including the Breideej army base in northern Hama, injuring and killing at least four Russian soldiers in a mortar attack that hit their vehicle. "We have stepped up our readiness and sent troop reinforcements to confront any attack the regime and the Russians on any area," Naji al-Mustafa, spokesman for the National Liberation Front coalition of rebel groups told Reuters. "We cannot leave matters like this.. we are preparing for any possibility.." he added. A military defector told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the latest campaign could signal a ground offensive aimed at taking control of territory in northern rural Hama province and southern Idlib countryside.

Russia and Syrian army step up attacks on rebel held northwestern Syria: Sources

Several air strikes and explosions shook Libya`s capital Tripoli on Sunday.

Residents said that they saw an aircraft circling for more than 10 minutes over the city and explosions were heard across Tripoli`s southern districts.

This comes a day after clashes broke out in Tripoli after the forces loyal to Libya Unity Government on Saturday launched a counterattack against renegade General Khalifa Haftar`s fighters.

Libya has been largely divided into two factions ever since the death of its dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

The LNA-backed parliament controls the east of Libya, while the UN-backed interim Government of National Accord (GNA) governs Libya`s western region from Tripoli.

Military sources have said that both sides are using ageing Soviet and Russian fighter jets.

More than 200 people have lost their lives and 913 have been wounded ever since clashes erupted in the region as Haftar`s Libyan National Army advanced towards Tripoli.

According to the United Nations, nearly 30,000 have been displaced so far amid hostilities in the country.

While the US government has primarily backed the GNA which is led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, American diplomats and military officers have maintained contacts with Russia backed Haftar.

Most of the international community has urged for a peaceful resolution to the intense fighting which has ensued in the African nation.&nbsp;

Several air strikes and explosions shook Libya`s capital Tripoli on Sunday. Residents said that they saw an aircraft circling for more than 10 minutes over the city and explosions were heard across Tripoli`s southern districts.

Several air strikes and explosions shook Libya`s capital Tripoli on Sunday. Residents said that they saw an aircraft circling for more than 10 minutes over the city and explosions were heard across Tripoli`s southern districts. This comes a day after clashes broke out in Tripoli after the forces loyal to Libya Unity Government on Saturday launched a counterattack against renegade General Khalifa Haftar`s fighters. Libya has been largely divided into two factions ever since the death of its dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The LNA-backed parliament controls the east of Libya, while the UN-backed interim Government of National Accord (GNA) governs Libya`s western region from Tripoli. Military sources have said that both sides are using ageing Soviet and Russian fighter jets. More than 200 people have lost their lives and 913 have been wounded ever since clashes erupted in the region as Haftar`s Libyan National Army advanced towards Tripoli. According to the United Nations, nearly 30,000 have been displaced so far amid hostilities in the country. While the US government has primarily backed the GNA which is led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, American diplomats and military officers have maintained contacts with Russia backed Haftar. Most of the international community has urged for a peaceful resolution to the intense fighting which has ensued in the African nation.

Libya: Air strikes, explosions rock Tripoli suburb

The Syrian army, aided by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns in northwestern Syria on Wednesday in the most extensive bombardment in months against the last remaining rebel bastion in the country, rebels, rescuers and residents said.

Rebels who have fought to topple President Bashar al-Assad for eight years are now largely confined to the enclave in the northwest near the Turkish border. Around four million people now live there, including hundreds of thousands of opponents of Assad who fled there from other parts of the country.

The enclave is protected by a "de-escalation zone" agreement brokered last year by Assad`s main international backers Russia and Iran, and Turkey which has supported the rebels in the past and has sent troops to monitor the truce.&nbsp;

Residents said Russian planes conducted at least 12 aerial strikes on residential areas in Idlib city, including a civilian prison on its outskirts, where they said dozens of prisoners escaped. At least 10 civilians were killed and forty-five injured.

Russia`s defence ministry confirmed it had hit Idlib in coordination with Turkey, targeting drones and weapons stores of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadists it said were intended for use in an attack on a major Russian air base near the Mediterranean coast.

The jihadist group vowed to take revenge, saying they had recaptured most of the prisoners who escaped whom it said included members of a cell working for Russian intelligence it claimed were behind bombings in Idlib city last month that killed 17 civilians and injured dozens.

"There is no solution against the Russian occupier, Assad`s forces and the Iranian militias except confrontation and confrontation only," Hayat Tahir al Sham said in a statement.&nbsp;

The Syrian army has escalated its shelling of the enclave since early February. The attacks have killed dozens of civilians and injured hundreds, and led to tens of thousands of people fleeing frontline areas to camps and towns closer to the Turkish border, rescuers and aid agencies said.

The Syrian army denies targeting civilians and says the army is responding to stepped-up attacks staged by al Qaeda-inspired fighters who aim to wreck the truce and control the area.

Residents along the border area with Turkey could hear heavy overnight aerial strikes that covered a wide stretch of territory from rebel-held areas near government-held Latakia province on the Mediterranean to Idlib city towards the east and extending to adjoining opposition-held parts of northern Hama.

"They burnt the land ... The sounds were heard very clearly," said Ibrahim al Sheikh, a father of five in the border town of Atmeh. He quoted relatives as saying the shelling was the heaviest yet in the two weeks of escalation.

The escalation in the northwest is taking place as a US-backed Kurdish-led militia has launched a separate assault on the final bastion of Islamic State fighters on the opposite, eastern end of the country, creating turning points on both major fronts of Syria`s multi-sided civil war.

`WHOEVER DID THIS IS A BEAST`

In the northwest, residents said white phosphorous munitions were fired overnight on the town of al Tamana in northwestern Idlib countryside, where rescue workers on Wednesday said they put out several fires caused by more than 80 rocket strikes.&nbsp;

Among the targets of the aerial campaign was a makeshift tent camp in Kfr Amim, east of Idlib city, that shelters displaced families, where two women were killed and at least 10 children injured when bombs landed after midnight.&nbsp;

"Whoever did this is a beast, truly a beast. It`s a camp with only women and children. There is nothing we can say except that this Russian beast is coming to kill," said Laith al Abdullah, a civil defence worker in Sarqeb town who helped in the rescue effort, reached by mobile phone.

Rocket shelling from a major army base in Joreen, in Hama province, escalated a week-long bombardment of rural areas near the town of Jisr al Shaqour, said Ahmed Abdul Salam, a rebel commander in the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front.&nbsp;

A Russian army base, south of government-controlled Halafaya town, also targeted Kafr Zeita in northern Hama countryside while cluster bombs hit several rebel-held towns in southern Idlib, rebels said.

The stepped-up bombardment has depopulated opposition-held towns in the buffer zone that straddles parts of Idlib to northern Hama and parts of Latakia province.

The opposition-held city of Khan Sheikhon had become a ghost city with most of its more than 70,000 people fleeing, said Yousef al Idlibi, a former resident who moved to Idlib city.

Turkey, which began patrols in the buffer zone on Friday, has condemned what it said were increasing provocations to wreck the truce, and warned that a bombing campaign by the Russians and the Syrian army would cause a major humanitarian crisis.

Many residents are exasperated by the failure of Turkish forces to respond to the bombardments. The Syrian army has called for Turkish forces to withdraw.

The Syrian army, aided by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns in northwestern Syria on Wednesday in the most extensive bombardment in months against the last remaining rebel bastion in the country, rebels, rescuers and residents said.

The Syrian army, aided by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns in northwestern Syria on Wednesday in the most extensive bombardment in months against the last remaining rebel bastion in the country, rebels, rescuers and residents said. Rebels who have fought to topple President Bashar al-Assad for eight years are now largely confined to the enclave in the northwest near the Turkish border. Around four million people now live there, including hundreds of thousands of opponents of Assad who fled there from other parts of the country. The enclave is protected by a "de-escalation zone" agreement brokered last year by Assad`s main international backers Russia and Iran, and Turkey which has supported the rebels in the past and has sent troops to monitor the truce. Residents said Russian planes conducted at least 12 aerial strikes on residential areas in Idlib city, including a civilian prison on its outskirts, where they said dozens of prisoners escaped. At least 10 civilians were killed and forty-five injured. Russia`s defence ministry confirmed it had hit Idlib in coordination with Turkey, targeting drones and weapons stores of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadists it said were intended for use in an attack on a major Russian air base near the Mediterranean coast. The jihadist group vowed to take revenge, saying they had recaptured most of the prisoners who escaped whom it said included members of a cell working for Russian intelligence it claimed were behind bombings in Idlib city last month that killed 17 civilians and injured dozens. "There is no solution against the Russian occupier, Assad`s forces and the Iranian militias except confrontation and confrontation only," Hayat Tahir al Sham said in a statement. The Syrian army has escalated its shelling of the enclave since early February. The attacks have killed dozens of civilians and injured hundreds, and led to tens of thousands of people fleeing frontline areas to camps and towns closer to the Turkish border, rescuers and aid agencies said. The Syrian army denies targeting civilians and says the army is responding to stepped-up attacks staged by al Qaeda-inspired fighters who aim to wreck the truce and control the area. Residents along the border area with Turkey could hear heavy overnight aerial strikes that covered a wide stretch of territory from rebel-held areas near government-held Latakia province on the Mediterranean to Idlib city towards the east and extending to adjoining opposition-held parts of northern Hama. "They burnt the land ... The sounds were heard very clearly," said Ibrahim al Sheikh, a father of five in the border town of Atmeh. He quoted relatives as saying the shelling was the heaviest yet in the two weeks of escalation. The escalation in the northwest is taking place as a US-backed Kurdish-led militia has launched a separate assault on the final bastion of Islamic State fighters on the opposite, eastern end of the country, creating turning points on both major fronts of Syria`s multi-sided civil war. `WHOEVER DID THIS IS A BEAST` In the northwest, residents said white phosphorous munitions were fired overnight on the town of al Tamana in northwestern Idlib countryside, where rescue workers on Wednesday said they put out several fires caused by more than 80 rocket strikes. Among the targets of the aerial campaign was a makeshift tent camp in Kfr Amim, east of Idlib city, that shelters displaced families, where two women were killed and at least 10 children injured when bombs landed after midnight. "Whoever did this is a beast, truly a beast. It`s a camp with only women and children. There is nothing we can say except that this Russian beast is coming to kill," said Laith al Abdullah, a civil defence worker in Sarqeb town who helped in the rescue effort, reached by mobile phone. Rocket shelling from a major army base in Joreen, in Hama province, escalated a week-long bombardment of rural areas near the town of Jisr al Shaqour, said Ahmed Abdul Salam, a rebel commander in the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front. A Russian army base, south of government-controlled Halafaya town, also targeted Kafr Zeita in northern Hama countryside while cluster bombs hit several rebel-held towns in southern Idlib, rebels said. The stepped-up bombardment has depopulated opposition-held towns in the buffer zone that straddles parts of Idlib to northern Hama and parts of Latakia province. The opposition-held city of Khan Sheikhon had become a ghost city with most of its more than 70,000 people fleeing, said Yousef al Idlibi, a former resident who moved to Idlib city. Turkey, which began patrols in the buffer zone on Friday, has condemned what it said were increasing provocations to wreck the truce, and warned that a bombing campaign by the Russians and the Syrian army would cause a major humanitarian crisis. Many residents are exasperated by the failure of Turkish forces to respond to the bombardments. The Syrian army has called for Turkish forces to withdraw.

Russian and Syrian air strikes intensify on last rebel bastion

The Indian Air Force is equipping its Su-30MKI combat aircraft with the Israeli Spice-2000 bombs which were used by the force to carry out air strikes on the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists training camp inside Pakistan.

Talking about the quick deployment of forces by the Air Force on the western frontier of Pakistan, top Indian Air Force sources told ANI that the force has been successful in doing so due to the exercise GaganShakti held last year where the service practised to carry out high tempo operations on both the possible fronts.

"At the moment, the only aircraft which is capable of delivering the bombs on enemy targets is the Mirage 2000. But now the Air Force is putting them on the Su-30s as well to further enhance their firepower," government sources said.

India had acquired more than 200 of these bombs from Israel a few years back and the Su-30MKI has already carried out trials of launching the Spice-2000 on ground targets, they said.

"After a few more trials, the Su-30 fleet would be equipped with these bombs which rely on coordinates and satellite pictures of the target to home in and destroy the intended targets," the sources said.

Once the integration is successful, it would be a big force multiplier for the Air force as the only planes which can launch these bombs right now are the Mirage 2000s.

The IAF has only around three squadrons of these planes whereas the service has already inducted more than 250 of these aircraft and has planes of getting around 20 more by the end of next year.

The Air Force used the Spice-2000 bombs extensively during the air strikes on Pakistan on February 26 decimating the intended target in Balakote in Khyber Pakhtunwa province of Pakistan in form of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp.

The attacks were carried out by the Air force to avenge the Pulwama suicide terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed.

Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has been active against India for the last almost 20 years after he was released from jail during the Kandhar hijack where terrorists were released in exchange for passengers of the Indian Airlines flight number IC-814.

The Indian Air Force is equipping its Su-30MKI combat aircraft with the Israeli Spice-2000 bombs which were used by the force to carry out air strikes on the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists training camp inside Pakistan.

The Indian Air Force is equipping its Su-30MKI combat aircraft with the Israeli Spice-2000 bombs which were used by the force to carry out air strikes on the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists training camp inside Pakistan. Talking about the quick deployment of forces by the Air Force on the western frontier of Pakistan, top Indian Air Force sources told ANI that the force has been successful in doing so due to the exercise GaganShakti held last year where the service practised to carry out high tempo operations on both the possible fronts. "At the moment, the only aircraft which is capable of delivering the bombs on enemy targets is the Mirage 2000. But now the Air Force is putting them on the Su-30s as well to further enhance their firepower," government sources said. India had acquired more than 200 of these bombs from Israel a few years back and the Su-30MKI has already carried out trials of launching the Spice-2000 on ground targets, they said. "After a few more trials, the Su-30 fleet would be equipped with these bombs which rely on coordinates and satellite pictures of the target to home in and destroy the intended targets," the sources said. Once the integration is successful, it would be a big force multiplier for the Air force as the only planes which can launch these bombs right now are the Mirage 2000s. The IAF has only around three squadrons of these planes whereas the service has already inducted more than 250 of these aircraft and has planes of getting around 20 more by the end of next year. The Air Force used the Spice-2000 bombs extensively during the air strikes on Pakistan on February 26 decimating the intended target in Balakote in Khyber Pakhtunwa province of Pakistan in form of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp. The attacks were carried out by the Air force to avenge the Pulwama suicide terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed. Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has been active against India for the last almost 20 years after he was released from jail during the Kandhar hijack where terrorists were released in exchange for passengers of the Indian Airlines flight number IC-814.

Air Force to equip Sukhoi-30s with Spice-2000 bombs used in air strikes inside Pakistan

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday cautioned the ex-servicemen of the country and requested them to not to believe on rumours.

"I request you to please do not believe in people who spread rumours, please be aware. We need to reject those who use simplicity and sincerity of soldiers to mislead, "she said while addressing to the ex-servicemen in Dehradun.

Praising her government for the war memorial she further said, "For the last 60 years a National War Memorial was pending, we have had four major wars so far, there wasn't a single war memorial at national level dedicated to the martyrs of all those wars. A war memorial was dedicated to the forces this February".

Her comments came amid the rising speculations by the oppositions over the number of deaths caused in Pakistan after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-chief-amit-shah-says-more-than-250-terrorists-killed-in-aerial-strike-against-jem-201061">IAF airstrike</a> on February 26.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 26 launched pre-emptive airstrikes at a large Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror training camp in Balakot in Pakistan.&nbsp;

The airstrikes were undertaken in retaliation to the terror attack in Pulwama in which about 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack.

On February 28, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the government to spell out "details" of the exact place where the air raid was carried out and the casualties inflicted, stating that international media claimed that there was no damage in the strike.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday cautioned the ex-servicemen of the country and requested them to not to believe on rumours. "I request you to please do not believe in people who spread rumours, please be aware.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday cautioned the ex-servicemen of the country and requested them to not to believe on rumours. "I request you to please do not believe in people who spread rumours, please be aware. We need to reject those who use simplicity and sincerity of soldiers to mislead, "she said while addressing to the ex-servicemen in Dehradun. Praising her government for the war memorial she further said, "For the last 60 years a National War Memorial was pending, we have had four major wars so far, there wasn't a single war memorial at national level dedicated to the martyrs of all those wars. A war memorial was dedicated to the forces this February". Her comments came amid the rising speculations by the oppositions over the number of deaths caused in Pakistan after the IAF airstrike on February 26. The Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 26 launched pre-emptive airstrikes at a large Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror training camp in Balakot in Pakistan. The airstrikes were undertaken in retaliation to the terror attack in Pulwama in which about 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack. On February 28, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the government to spell out "details" of the exact place where the air raid was carried out and the casualties inflicted, stating that international media claimed that there was no damage in the strike.

Do not believe in people who spread rumours: Nirmala Sitharaman to ex-servicemen

There is an inevitability about the effect of a major trigger in the national security environment such as the Pulwama car bomb attack. It always commences an escalation spiral between India and Pakistan which could go all the way to an all-out war. Only if there is a war on such scale can nuclear red lines come into play.

However, Pakistani leadership has a propensity to play mind games using the nuclear option even at the early period of the escalatory spiral. There are far too many imponderables in the spiral but more importantly, there is also a lack of informed understanding about some of the issues involved here.&nbsp;

Television anchors and even some analysts have been quick to incorrectly surmise that in the past there was a lack of combined political and military will to retaliate against triggers caused willfully by terrorists under the sponsorship of Pakistan’s Deep State.

While not taking away anything from the bold decision of the current Indian government to employ surgical precision air strikes against terrorist facilities after the Pulwama outrage, with all the risk involved in a military action which could have also gone wrong, it is also true that in the past the circumstances were different.

Many lessons were learnt through these years and the same are today being applied at the strategic and operational level with cumulative experience. The present Indian government itself has gained much experience through three incidents between 2016 and 2019.&nbsp;

In 1999 the NDA government responded strongly and decisively to the Kargil intrusion, taking the engagement to its culmination through a combined military-diplomatic campaign. The trigger caused by the 13 Dec 2001 attack on India’s Parliament, the symbol of its democracy, sufficiently irked the government and the people to lead the government to escalate its response many notches higher.

It ordered general mobilisation and deployed the Army at the borders for almost a year awaiting launch. It wasn’t the lack of political will or military reluctance but the unique circumstance of the early presence of the US armed forces in the Af Pak region to fight the Taliban and the Al Qaida that forced the Indian leadership to abjure from military engagement in retribution against the Pakistan support for the terror attack on Parliament.&nbsp;

The 26/11 Mumbai attack caused immense casualties and hit India’s self-esteem too. While the government considered all options for a response right up to the stage of the potential war, there was comparatively much lesser public pressure due to lack of social media and poor internet penetration at that time.

The decibels on India’s electronic visual media were then of a lower order in comparison to today’s cacophony which passes as strategic debate. It was also just after the unsuccessful backroom diplomacy between the two nations in pursuance of the Four Point Formula of Parvez Musharaf; the temperature of the security environment had considerably cooled and the ceasefire was contributing majorly to confidence building. Under the circumstances, it was perhaps a difficult call.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Pathankot attack was the current government’s first major challenge in the strategic sub-conventional domain. While the situation in Kashmir was none too stable, PM Modi’s attempts at transforming the process of relations between India and Pakistan had created positive vibes. In fact, the PM’s visit to Lahore on Christmas 2015 had contributed to the improving trust as much had the NSA’s talks with his Pakistani counterpart.

Thus when Pathankot happened within seven days of the Lahore visit it was more of a shock to the political leadership on both sides. Joint investigation and evidence gathering started early to offset any possibility of the terror act being exploited to trigger an escalatory spiral. The patience, of course, was running thin and something more was expected early enough.

The Uri terror attack on 18 Sept 2016 was against an army formation headquarters on our side of the Line of Control but led to the death of 20 soldiers; sufficient trigger for a response was perceived by decision makers who then started to feel that without sufficiency of counter threats the Deep State would continue to feel emboldened to repeat its strikes.

There is an erroneous perception among many, that the post-Uri surgical strikes were designed to deter Pakistan and the terrorists. In fact, it was only messaging that India was attempting and the risk involved was comparatively low. The messaging was to convey that India had the political will and military capability to strike each time Pakistan chose to up the ante through a terror attack in India.

The 2016 trans-LoC surgical strikes gave the Indian government the necessary experience and confidence but repeating them would always be difficult due to greater Pakistani vigilance and consequent loss of surprise.

Thus what we witnessed after 14 Feb 2019 when the Pulwama outrage occurred were a couple of important things. First, the progressive cumulative experience gained over 20 years and especially the lessons learnt in the last three years greatly helped in analysing and calibrating the national response. The escalatory ladder was climbed some notches higher by opting for air power.&nbsp;

The options hereafter for India are many but careful calibration with the diplomatic domain will enhance the strategic effect of the decisions. This being a hybrid conflict situation strategic leaders cannot ignore the various domains in play, the psychological being one of the more important among those. That has been Pakistan’s forte but it’s good to see some effective steps in this domain on the Indian side too.

We have not seen the end of escalation in the current crisis. Each action, statement or decision to act turns the screw of coercion taking escalation to a higher level. De-escalation can similarly be achieved without losing the strategic advantage gained. The Pakistan decision to release Wg Cdr Abhinandan is a de-escalation move but its effect will need to be examined in the light of Indian strategy and objectives laid out. Sticking to that strategy to achieve the terminal result is the key to this game.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-escalation-spiral-in-stand-off-2725453">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

There is an inevitability about the effect of a major trigger in the national security environment such as the Pulwama car bomb attack. It always commences an escalation spiral between India and Pakistan which could go all the way to an all-out war.

There is an inevitability about the effect of a major trigger in the national security environment such as the Pulwama car bomb attack. It always commences an escalation spiral between India and Pakistan which could go all the way to an all-out war. Only if there is a war on such scale can nuclear red lines come into play. However, Pakistani leadership has a propensity to play mind games using the nuclear option even at the early period of the escalatory spiral. There are far too many imponderables in the spiral but more importantly, there is also a lack of informed understanding about some of the issues involved here. Television anchors and even some analysts have been quick to incorrectly surmise that in the past there was a lack of combined political and military will to retaliate against triggers caused willfully by terrorists under the sponsorship of Pakistan’s Deep State. While not taking away anything from the bold decision of the current Indian government to employ surgical precision air strikes against terrorist facilities after the Pulwama outrage, with all the risk involved in a military action which could have also gone wrong, it is also true that in the past the circumstances were different. Many lessons were learnt through these years and the same are today being applied at the strategic and operational level with cumulative experience. The present Indian government itself has gained much experience through three incidents between 2016 and 2019. In 1999 the NDA government responded strongly and decisively to the Kargil intrusion, taking the engagement to its culmination through a combined military-diplomatic campaign. The trigger caused by the 13 Dec 2001 attack on India’s Parliament, the symbol of its democracy, sufficiently irked the government and the people to lead the government to escalate its response many notches higher. It ordered general mobilisation and deployed the Army at the borders for almost a year awaiting launch. It wasn’t the lack of political will or military reluctance but the unique circumstance of the early presence of the US armed forces in the Af Pak region to fight the Taliban and the Al Qaida that forced the Indian leadership to abjure from military engagement in retribution against the Pakistan support for the terror attack on Parliament. The 26/11 Mumbai attack caused immense casualties and hit India’s self-esteem too. While the government considered all options for a response right up to the stage of the potential war, there was comparatively much lesser public pressure due to lack of social media and poor internet penetration at that time. The decibels on India’s electronic visual media were then of a lower order in comparison to today’s cacophony which passes as strategic debate. It was also just after the unsuccessful backroom diplomacy between the two nations in pursuance of the Four Point Formula of Parvez Musharaf; the temperature of the security environment had considerably cooled and the ceasefire was contributing majorly to confidence building. Under the circumstances, it was perhaps a difficult call. The Pathankot attack was the current government’s first major challenge in the strategic sub-conventional domain. While the situation in Kashmir was none too stable, PM Modi’s attempts at transforming the process of relations between India and Pakistan had created positive vibes. In fact, the PM’s visit to Lahore on Christmas 2015 had contributed to the improving trust as much had the NSA’s talks with his Pakistani counterpart. Thus when Pathankot happened within seven days of the Lahore visit it was more of a shock to the political leadership on both sides. Joint investigation and evidence gathering started early to offset any possibility of the terror act being exploited to trigger an escalatory spiral. The patience, of course, was running thin and something more was expected early enough. The Uri terror attack on 18 Sept 2016 was against an army formation headquarters on our side of the Line of Control but led to the death of 20 soldiers; sufficient trigger for a response was perceived by decision makers who then started to feel that without sufficiency of counter threats the Deep State would continue to feel emboldened to repeat its strikes. There is an erroneous perception among many, that the post-Uri surgical strikes were designed to deter Pakistan and the terrorists. In fact, it was only messaging that India was attempting and the risk involved was comparatively low. The messaging was to convey that India had the political will and military capability to strike each time Pakistan chose to up the ante through a terror attack in India. The 2016 trans-LoC surgical strikes gave the Indian government the necessary experience and confidence but repeating them would always be difficult due to greater Pakistani vigilance and consequent loss of surprise. Thus what we witnessed after 14 Feb 2019 when the Pulwama outrage occurred were a couple of important things. First, the progressive cumulative experience gained over 20 years and especially the lessons learnt in the last three years greatly helped in analysing and calibrating the national response. The escalatory ladder was climbed some notches higher by opting for air power. The options hereafter for India are many but careful calibration with the diplomatic domain will enhance the strategic effect of the decisions. This being a hybrid conflict situation strategic leaders cannot ignore the various domains in play, the psychological being one of the more important among those. That has been Pakistan’s forte but it’s good to see some effective steps in this domain on the Indian side too. We have not seen the end of escalation in the current crisis. Each action, statement or decision to act turns the screw of coercion taking escalation to a higher level. De-escalation can similarly be achieved without losing the strategic advantage gained. The Pakistan decision to release Wg Cdr Abhinandan is a de-escalation move but its effect will need to be examined in the light of Indian strategy and objectives laid out. Sticking to that strategy to achieve the terminal result is the key to this game. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Pulwama aftermath: Pakistan has a propensity to play mind games

Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate against Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000s but were turned back due to the size of Indian formation, news agency ANI reported quoting sources.&nbsp;

Western Air Command coordinated operation, ANI reported quoting sources.

One of the targets destroyed by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-carries-out-air-strikes-inside-pakistan-what-we-know-so-far-199767">IAF Mirage jets</a> was&nbsp;Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area, the report said.&nbsp;

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Sources: Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate against IAF Mirage 2000s but turned back due to size of Indian formation. Western Air Command coordinated operation. <a href="https://t.co/cCXndYNc1H">pic.twitter.com/cCXndYNc1H</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1100264411040702465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Air strikes in Pakistan’s<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ccs-meeting-gets-underway-hours-after-iaf-bombs-terror-camps-across-loc-199763"> Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region </a>were based on locations provided by on ground intelligence sources, the report added.

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In pre-dawn air strikes, IAF launched air strike across the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday destroying terrorist camps in Pakistan.

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Source: Air strikes in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region were based on locations provided by on ground intelligence sources. <a href="https://t.co/9BVnfSsIXB">https://t.co/9BVnfSsIXB</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1100267813116280832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The strike&nbsp;was in retaliation to Pulwama terror attack in which more than 40 CRPF soldiers were killed.

Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad terror launch pads across the LOC were completely destroyed in IAF air strikes, reported ANI.

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) control rooms were also destroyed, the report added.&nbsp;

Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate against Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000s but were turned back due to the size of Indian formation, news agency ANI reported quoting sources.

Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate against Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000s but were turned back due to the size of Indian formation, news agency ANI reported quoting sources. Western Air Command coordinated operation, ANI reported quoting sources. One of the targets destroyed by IAF Mirage jets was Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area, the report said. Sources: Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate against IAF Mirage 2000s but turned back due to size of Indian formation. Western Air Command coordinated operation. pic.twitter.com/cCXndYNc1H — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019 × Air strikes in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region were based on locations provided by on ground intelligence sources, the report added. × In pre-dawn air strikes, IAF launched air strike across the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday destroying terrorist camps in Pakistan. Source: Air strikes in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region were based on locations provided by on ground intelligence sources. https://t.co/9BVnfSsIXB — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019 × The strike was in retaliation to Pulwama terror attack in which more than 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad terror launch pads across the LOC were completely destroyed in IAF air strikes, reported ANI. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) control rooms were also destroyed, the report added.

Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate but turned back: Sources

India Tuesday carried out pre-dawn airstrikes on<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-struck-the-biggest-camp-of-jem-in-balakot-says-foreign-secretary-vijay-gokhale-199787"> terror launch pads</a> in Pakistan and is believed to have destroyed terrorist targets, sources said.

The strike comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group in Kashmir's Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

Sources told that the strikes involving several fighter jets of the Indian Air Force successfully destroyed camps belonging to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-carries-out-air-strikes-inside-pakistan-what-we-know-so-far-199767">Pakistan-based terror outfits </a>in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

After the air strikes, the Cabinet Committee on Security met here Tuesday morning at the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were present at the meeting.

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National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other top officials of the prime minister's office and the security apparatus were present at the meeting, official sources said.

Soon after the news of the strike, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday lauded the pilots of the Indian Air Force.

"I salute the pilots of the IAF," he tweeted.

Gandhi also put out the Indian flag along with his tweet.

The Congress said on its official Twitter handle, "We salute the @IAF_MCC for their consistent &amp; determined effort to keep Indians safe. Jai Hind." 
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also hailed the IAF pilots for the air strikes.

In Islamabad, the Pakistan Army alleged that the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control (LoC) in Muzafarabad sector.

"Indian aircraft intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage," Major General Asif Ghafoor, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a tweet.

"Indian Air Force violated Line of Control Pakistan. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft gone back," he tweeted.

Hours later, the ISPR said Indian aircrafts' "intrusion" across the LoC in Muzafarabad Sector was within 3-4 miles in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India Tuesday carried out pre-dawn airstrikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan and is believed to have destroyed terrorist targets, sources said. The strike comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group in Kashmir's Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

India Tuesday carried out pre-dawn airstrikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan and is believed to have destroyed terrorist targets, sources said. The strike comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group in Kashmir's Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. Sources told that the strikes involving several fighter jets of the Indian Air Force successfully destroyed camps belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfits in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. After the air strikes, the Cabinet Committee on Security met here Tuesday morning at the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were present at the meeting. × National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other top officials of the prime minister's office and the security apparatus were present at the meeting, official sources said. Soon after the news of the strike, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday lauded the pilots of the Indian Air Force. "I salute the pilots of the IAF," he tweeted. Gandhi also put out the Indian flag along with his tweet. The Congress said on its official Twitter handle, "We salute the @IAF_MCC for their consistent & determined effort to keep Indians safe. Jai Hind." Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also hailed the IAF pilots for the air strikes. In Islamabad, the Pakistan Army alleged that the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control (LoC) in Muzafarabad sector. "Indian aircraft intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage," Major General Asif Ghafoor, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a tweet. "Indian Air Force violated Line of Control Pakistan. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft gone back," he tweeted. Hours later, the ISPR said Indian aircrafts' "intrusion" across the LoC in Muzafarabad Sector was within 3-4 miles in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India carries out airstrikes in Pakistan, destroys terror camps

Pakistan Army confirmed that Indian <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-claims-indian-air-force-violated-loc-199740">fighter jets dropped</a> "four bombs" during an operation on Tuesday but downplayed its significance, saying the Indian attack was repulsed and while going back the aircraft "jettisoned their payload."

Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor also said that<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-strikes-on-terror-launchpads-meticulous-planning-led-to-successful-air-force-mission-199830"> Pakistan will "surprise" India</a> with its response that will be in all domains including "diplomatic, political and military."

"Prime Minister Imran Khan told the army and the people that get ready for any eventuality. Now it is time for India to wait for our response. We have decided. Wait for it," Ghafoor said.

His remarks came hours after India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control, early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.

Ghafoor claimed that India failed to surprise Pakistan.

"We were ready and not surprised. I said we will surprise you and wait for the surprise. (Our) response will come and it will be different."

"Our response will be in all domains including diplomatic, political and military," the General added.

He claimed that the Indian planes were in Pakistan's airspace for "just 4 minutes" and went back when challenged by the Pakistani aircraft.

Ghafoor said that Indian jets first tried to enter Lahore-Sialkot sector, while another formation of jets came close to Okara-Bahawalpur area of international border but found Pakistan air force ready and went back.

"Then a third formation was picked in Muzaffarabad sector which was heavier...It was repulsed, but while going back they jettisoned their payload and four bombs fell in Jabba, near the town of Balakot, causing no casualties or damage," he said.

He asserted that there was no strike but only the payload fell.

Ghafoor said that he was ready to take the media to the place where payload fell to show that there was no damage done, but cancelled the trip due to bad weather. He added that apart from the media, defence attaches can also go.

The spokesman also rejected the Indian claim about targeting any infrastructure and said their claim of 350 dead is also "false."

He asserted that Pakistan was ready to follow what Prime Minister Khan said that Islamabad would not think about retaliation but retaliate. "They have not attacked, so why should we retaliate immediately?" he said.

"If they had attacked at military positions, then our forces would have taken on them. But it was not their mission as they wanted provocation. Their mission was to target a civilian place in order to claim that they killed terrorists. So that they could get benefit for elections," he added.

Pakistan Army confirmed that Indian fighter jets dropped "four bombs" during an operation on Tuesday but downplayed its significance, saying the Indian attack was repulsed and while going back the aircraft "jettisoned their payload.

Pakistan Army confirmed that Indian fighter jets dropped "four bombs" during an operation on Tuesday but downplayed its significance, saying the Indian attack was repulsed and while going back the aircraft "jettisoned their payload." Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor also said that Pakistan will "surprise" India with its response that will be in all domains including "diplomatic, political and military." "Prime Minister Imran Khan told the army and the people that get ready for any eventuality. Now it is time for India to wait for our response. We have decided. Wait for it," Ghafoor said. His remarks came hours after India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control, early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders. Ghafoor claimed that India failed to surprise Pakistan. "We were ready and not surprised. I said we will surprise you and wait for the surprise. (Our) response will come and it will be different." "Our response will be in all domains including diplomatic, political and military," the General added. He claimed that the Indian planes were in Pakistan's airspace for "just 4 minutes" and went back when challenged by the Pakistani aircraft. Ghafoor said that Indian jets first tried to enter Lahore-Sialkot sector, while another formation of jets came close to Okara-Bahawalpur area of international border but found Pakistan air force ready and went back. "Then a third formation was picked in Muzaffarabad sector which was heavier...It was repulsed, but while going back they jettisoned their payload and four bombs fell in Jabba, near the town of Balakot, causing no casualties or damage," he said. He asserted that there was no strike but only the payload fell. Ghafoor said that he was ready to take the media to the place where payload fell to show that there was no damage done, but cancelled the trip due to bad weather. He added that apart from the media, defence attaches can also go. The spokesman also rejected the Indian claim about targeting any infrastructure and said their claim of 350 dead is also "false." He asserted that Pakistan was ready to follow what Prime Minister Khan said that Islamabad would not think about retaliation but retaliate. "They have not attacked, so why should we retaliate immediately?" he said. "If they had attacked at military positions, then our forces would have taken on them. But it was not their mission as they wanted provocation. Their mission was to target a civilian place in order to claim that they killed terrorists. So that they could get benefit for elections," he added.

Four bombs fell in Jabba, near Balakot: Pak Army spokesman Ghafoor

Indian Air Force (IAF) launched an early morning air strike across the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday destroying terrorist camps in Pakistan, reported news agency ANI.

The strike&nbsp;is in retaliation to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-mastermind-of-pulwama-attack-killed-in-encounter-4-soldiers-dead-too-198057">Pulwama terror attack</a> in which more than 40 CRPF soldiers were killed.

Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad terror launch pads across the LOC were completely destroyed in IAF air strikes, reported ANI.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-claims-indian-air-force-violated-loc-199740">Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) </a>control rooms were also destroyed, the report added.&nbsp;

The Army/IAF&nbsp;will brief the media about the attack and the operation details later in the day, sources said.

IAF used Laser guided bombs during operation and Jaguar recorded all operations for analysis, sources said.&nbsp;

Around 200-300 terrorists believed to have been killed in the strikes, sources added.&nbsp;

12 Mirage 2000 jets participated in the operation that dropped 1000 Kg bombs on terror camps across Line of Control (LOC), reported news agency ANI quoting IAF.

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IAF Sources: 1000 Kg bombs were dropped on terror camps across the LoC <a href="https://t.co/jpC2w5f8X7">https://t.co/jpC2w5f8X7</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1100228529952866304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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According to ANI, the 21 minutes long airstrikes that destroyed several terror camps&nbsp;was carried out around 3:30 am on February 26.

Meanwhile, IAF has put on high alert all air defence systems along the international border and LoC to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force.

Indian Air Force (IAF) launched an early morning air strike across the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday destroying terrorist camps in Pakistan, reported news agency ANI.

Indian Air Force (IAF) launched an early morning air strike across the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday destroying terrorist camps in Pakistan, reported news agency ANI. The strike is in retaliation to Pulwama terror attack in which more than 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad terror launch pads across the LOC were completely destroyed in IAF air strikes, reported ANI. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) control rooms were also destroyed, the report added. The Army/IAF will brief the media about the attack and the operation details later in the day, sources said. IAF used Laser guided bombs during operation and Jaguar recorded all operations for analysis, sources said. Around 200-300 terrorists believed to have been killed in the strikes, sources added. 12 Mirage 2000 jets participated in the operation that dropped 1000 Kg bombs on terror camps across Line of Control (LOC), reported news agency ANI quoting IAF. IAF Sources: 1000 Kg bombs were dropped on terror camps across the LoC https://t.co/jpC2w5f8X7 — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019 × According to ANI, the 21 minutes long airstrikes that destroyed several terror camps was carried out around 3:30 am on February 26. Meanwhile, IAF has put on high alert all air defence systems along the international border and LoC to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force.

India destroys terror camps across LoC with 1000 Kg bombs in early morning air strikes

The Indian Air Force on Tuesday destroyed the terror camps in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-strike-heres-why-balakot-was-chosen-by-indian-air-force-199792">Pakistan's Balakot</a> using laser-guided bombs. The air strikes were carried out after credible information emerged that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group was attempting suicide attacks at various parts of the country, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said.

But the planning for the air strike began a few days after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/over-200-kg-of-explosives-was-used-in-pulwamas-terror-attack-197469">Pulwama attack</a>, according to intelligence agencies.

Source in the intelligence agencies say the plan was presented to the government by Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa a few days after the attack on CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in which 40 soldiers were killed. The proposal was cleared by the government between February 17-18, the sources said.

The Indian forces then conducted surveillance - both airborne and on the ground - with Heron drones. India bought 50 of these long-endurance drones from Israel for US $500 million. A Heron drone can perform strategic and tactical missions, can reach an altitude of 35,000 feet, stay in the air for more than 45 hours and has a flight range of 350km.

The surveillance presented a list of possible target sites to Indian security forces which was cleared by National Security Avisor Ajit Doval last week, say sources.

Watch: Top Jaish leadership wiped out as IAF strikes on terror launch pads

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The Air Force then assigned the targets to two <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-you-need-to-know-about-mirage-2000-fighter-jets-which-destroyed-terror-camps-across-loc-199785">Mirage squadrons</a> and the best pilots were chosen for the mission. The 12 Mirage-2000s, armed with laser guided bombs, took off from Gwalior in batches along with the Heron drone from a secret airfield.

WION has learnt that PM supervised and was present in the situation room at South Block when the strike happened.

The fighter jets dropped their payloads between 3.43am and 4.04am and returned to their base safely, say sources. News agency ANI reported that a total of six bombs were dropped on the terror camps. NSA Doval was informed about the success of the mission, who subsequently briefed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/country-is-in-safe-hands-modi-says-hours-after-iaf-airstrikes-on-jem-terror-camps-199812">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a>.

Briefing the media after Indian Air Force's targeted air strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-struck-the-biggest-camp-of-jem-in-balakot-says-foreign-secretary-vijay-gokhale-199787">Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale</a> said India was firmly and resolutely committed to taking all measures to fight the menace of terrorism, he said and added that the non-military pre-emptive action was targeted specifically at JeM camp.

The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties, he said adding that a large number of JeM terrorists, trainers and jihadis were eliminated in the operation.

The Indian Air Force on Tuesday destroyed the terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot using laser-guided bombs. The air strikes were carried out after credible information emerged that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group was attempting suicide attacks at various parts of the country, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said.

The Indian Air Force on Tuesday destroyed the terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot using laser-guided bombs. The air strikes were carried out after credible information emerged that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group was attempting suicide attacks at various parts of the country, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said. But the planning for the air strike began a few days after the Pulwama attack, according to intelligence agencies. Source in the intelligence agencies say the plan was presented to the government by Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa a few days after the attack on CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in which 40 soldiers were killed. The proposal was cleared by the government between February 17-18, the sources said. The Indian forces then conducted surveillance - both airborne and on the ground - with Heron drones. India bought 50 of these long-endurance drones from Israel for US $500 million. A Heron drone can perform strategic and tactical missions, can reach an altitude of 35,000 feet, stay in the air for more than 45 hours and has a flight range of 350km. The surveillance presented a list of possible target sites to Indian security forces which was cleared by National Security Avisor Ajit Doval last week, say sources. Watch: Top Jaish leadership wiped out as IAF strikes on terror launch pads × The Air Force then assigned the targets to two Mirage squadrons and the best pilots were chosen for the mission. The 12 Mirage-2000s, armed with laser guided bombs, took off from Gwalior in batches along with the Heron drone from a secret airfield. WION has learnt that PM supervised and was present in the situation room at South Block when the strike happened. The fighter jets dropped their payloads between 3.43am and 4.04am and returned to their base safely, say sources. News agency ANI reported that a total of six bombs were dropped on the terror camps. NSA Doval was informed about the success of the mission, who subsequently briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Briefing the media after Indian Air Force's targeted air strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said India was firmly and resolutely committed to taking all measures to fight the menace of terrorism, he said and added that the non-military pre-emptive action was targeted specifically at JeM camp. The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties, he said adding that a large number of JeM terrorists, trainers and jihadis were eliminated in the operation.

Air strikes on terror launchpads: Meticulous planning led to successful Air Force mission

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday hailed the Indian Air Force (IAF) for carrying out air strikes in Pakistan.

"IAF also means India's Amazing Fighters. Jai Hind," Banerjee tweeted. India carried out air strikes inside Pakistan early Tuesday and targeted terror camps, official sources said.

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— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/1100261552823820288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Several fighter jets of the Indian Air Force successfully destroyed camps belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfits in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, they said.&nbsp;

The IAF strike was carried out by a group of Mirage 2000 fighters at around 3.30 am.

The strike in Balakot was significant as the location was beyond Pakistan-administered Kashmir, indicating it was not merely an LoC violation but a punitive action inside Pakistani territory.

It follows a suicide bombing attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama on February 14 that killed 40 troopers.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday hailed the Indian Air Force (IAF) for carrying out air strikes in Pakistan. "IAF also means India's Amazing Fighters.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday hailed the Indian Air Force (IAF) for carrying out air strikes in Pakistan. "IAF also means India's Amazing Fighters. Jai Hind," Banerjee tweeted. India carried out air strikes inside Pakistan early Tuesday and targeted terror camps, official sources said. IAF also means India's Amazing Fighters. Jai Hind — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 26, 2019 × Several fighter jets of the Indian Air Force successfully destroyed camps belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfits in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, they said. The IAF strike was carried out by a group of Mirage 2000 fighters at around 3.30 am. The strike in Balakot was significant as the location was beyond Pakistan-administered Kashmir, indicating it was not merely an LoC violation but a punitive action inside Pakistani territory. It follows a suicide bombing attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama on February 14 that killed 40 troopers.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hails IAF for air strikes on Pakistan

First pics of JeM terror camp destroyed by Indian Air Force

As credible information emerged that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group was attempting suicide attacks at various parts of the country, a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/terror-camps-destroyed-as-12-mirage-jets-drops-1000-kg-bombs-across-loc-iaf-sources-199744"> pre-emptive strike </a>became important and India struck the biggest camp of JeM in Balakot, said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

Briefing media after Indian Air Force's targeted airstrikes on<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-claims-indian-air-force-violated-loc-199740"> terror camps</a> across the Line of Control, Gokhale said&nbsp;India was firmly and resolutely committed to taking all measures to fight the menace of terrorism, he said and added that the non-military pre-emptive action was targeted specifically at JeM camp.

The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties, he said.

(Watch:&nbsp;Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale briefs media about the strike)

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''This&nbsp;facility in Balakot was headed by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother in law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar...The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualty. It's located in deep forest on a hilltop," he added.

A&nbsp;very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers and Jihadis were eliminated following the operation.

''Strike has taken only a short while ago and we are waiting for the details,'' he said.&nbsp;

Masood Azhar's brother-in-law has also been killed in the airstrikes.&nbsp;

Slamming Pakistan for not taking any action Gokhale said, ''Pakistan has taken no concrete actions to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil despite being given information of training camps on its territory.''

He elaborated, "the existence of such massive training facilities capable of training hundreds of jihadis could not have functioned without the knowledge of Pakistan authorities."&nbsp;

He also asked Islamabad ''to not allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India by taking follow up actions to dismantle all JeM and other camps and hold the terrorists accountable for the actions.''

WION has learnt that PM supervised and was present in the situation room at South block when the strike happened.

Sources say multiple options were given with Air Chief Marshal preparing the entire plan.

The target was identified around February 20 and 21&nbsp;with the Army/Air Force doing the air surveillance along the LoC.

Drones were also used. Overall, two Mirage squadrons with 12 jets were selected for operation.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary briefed foreign envoys about the developments. US, China, Russia, UK, Russia, Asean, Brazil envoys were present at the FS briefing.

Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for the second time since Pulwama attack. Defence minister, external affairs minister, the finance minister, Home Minister, National security advisor and foreign secretary were also present there.

Since the Pulwama attack which took place 12 days ago, India has been taking strong actions against Pakistan on economic front by removing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) status and diplomatically by isolating Pakistan.

As credible information emerged that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group was attempting suicide attacks at various parts of the country, a pre-emptive strike became important and India struck the biggest camp of JeM in Balakot, said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

As credible information emerged that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group was attempting suicide attacks at various parts of the country, a pre-emptive strike became important and India struck the biggest camp of JeM in Balakot, said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. Briefing media after Indian Air Force's targeted airstrikes on terror camps across the Line of Control, Gokhale said India was firmly and resolutely committed to taking all measures to fight the menace of terrorism, he said and added that the non-military pre-emptive action was targeted specifically at JeM camp. The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties, he said. (Watch: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale briefs media about the strike) × ''This facility in Balakot was headed by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother in law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar...The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualty. It's located in deep forest on a hilltop," he added. A very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers and Jihadis were eliminated following the operation. ''Strike has taken only a short while ago and we are waiting for the details,'' he said. Masood Azhar's brother-in-law has also been killed in the airstrikes. Slamming Pakistan for not taking any action Gokhale said, ''Pakistan has taken no concrete actions to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil despite being given information of training camps on its territory.'' He elaborated, "the existence of such massive training facilities capable of training hundreds of jihadis could not have functioned without the knowledge of Pakistan authorities." He also asked Islamabad ''to not allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India by taking follow up actions to dismantle all JeM and other camps and hold the terrorists accountable for the actions.'' WION has learnt that PM supervised and was present in the situation room at South block when the strike happened. Sources say multiple options were given with Air Chief Marshal preparing the entire plan. The target was identified around February 20 and 21 with the Army/Air Force doing the air surveillance along the LoC. Drones were also used. Overall, two Mirage squadrons with 12 jets were selected for operation. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary briefed foreign envoys about the developments. US, China, Russia, UK, Russia, Asean, Brazil envoys were present at the FS briefing. Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for the second time since Pulwama attack. Defence minister, external affairs minister, the finance minister, Home Minister, National security advisor and foreign secretary were also present there. Since the Pulwama attack which took place 12 days ago, India has been taking strong actions against Pakistan on economic front by removing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) status and diplomatically by isolating Pakistan.

India struck the biggest camp of JeM in Balakot, says Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale

Iran warned Israel on Tuesday of a "firm and appropriate" response if it continued attacking targets in Syria, where Tehran has backed President Bashar al-Assad and his forces in their nearly eight-year war against rebels and militants.

Israel, which views Iran as its biggest security threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets and those of allied militia in Syria. With an election looming in April, Israel has been increasingly open about carrying out its air strikes.

In a meeting with Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moalem in Tehran, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said the Israeli attacks violated Syria's territorial integrity and were "unacceptable".

"If these actions continue, we will activate some calculated measures as a deterrent and as a firm and appropriate response to teach a lesson to the criminal and lying rulers of Israel," Shamkhani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that Israeli forces would continue to attack Iranians in Syria and warned them to "get out of there" fast.

In January, Israeli warplanes carried out an attack on what they called an Iranian arms cache in Syria.

Syria's Moalem was quoted on Tuesday by a Hezbollah-run media unit as saying: "The Syrian government considers it to be its duty to keep Iranian security forces in Syrian territory."

Iran has also repeatedly said it will keep military forces in Syria.

Iran warned Israel on Tuesday of a "firm and appropriate" response if it continued attacking targets in Syria, where Tehran has backed President Bashar al-Assad and his forces in their nearly eight-year war against rebels and militants.

Iran warned Israel on Tuesday of a "firm and appropriate" response if it continued attacking targets in Syria, where Tehran has backed President Bashar al-Assad and his forces in their nearly eight-year war against rebels and militants. Israel, which views Iran as its biggest security threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets and those of allied militia in Syria. With an election looming in April, Israel has been increasingly open about carrying out its air strikes. In a meeting with Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moalem in Tehran, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said the Israeli attacks violated Syria's territorial integrity and were "unacceptable". "If these actions continue, we will activate some calculated measures as a deterrent and as a firm and appropriate response to teach a lesson to the criminal and lying rulers of Israel," Shamkhani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that Israeli forces would continue to attack Iranians in Syria and warned them to "get out of there" fast. In January, Israeli warplanes carried out an attack on what they called an Iranian arms cache in Syria. Syria's Moalem was quoted on Tuesday by a Hezbollah-run media unit as saying: "The Syrian government considers it to be its duty to keep Iranian security forces in Syrian territory." Iran has also repeatedly said it will keep military forces in Syria.

Iran warns Israel against further air strikes in Syria

Moscow on Wednesday said Israel had violated Syria's sovereignty with airstrikes the day before after Israel and Damascus blamed each other for the hostilities.

"We are very concerned by the attacks and how they were made. This is a gross violation of the sovereignty of Syria," the Russian ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.

Syria said via state media that its air defences shot down Israeli missiles near Damascus, while Israel said it was protecting itself from anti-aircraft fire.

Moscow's defence ministry earlier said Israeli strikes had endangered two passenger planes.

"The provocative actions of the Israeli air force.. directly threatened two airliners," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

He said the attack came from over Lebanese territory and came as "two airliners, not from Russia, were preparing to land at the airports of Beirut and Damascus".

He said restrictions were imposed on the use of Syrian government forces' air defence systems "to prevent a tragedy". One of the planes was redirected to a Russian airbase within Syria.

The Russian defence ministry said three Syrian military personnel were injured in a strike that saw Israeli warplanes drop 16 bombs.&nbsp;

Of these, 14 were destroyed by Syrian defence systems, according to the ministry.

If Israel is confirmed to have instigated the strikes, it would be the first attack since US President Donald Trump announced last week the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.

Experts say Israel is to be greatly affected by the US pull out, as it would leave the area open to Iran and its partners to develop their military capacity.

Moscow is an ally of Damascus and its intervention in Syria's civil war in 2015 was seen as key to propping up President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Moscow on Wednesday said Israel had violated Syria's sovereignty with airstrikes the day before after Israel and Damascus blamed each other for the hostilities. "We are very concerned by the attacks and how they were made.

Moscow on Wednesday said Israel had violated Syria's sovereignty with airstrikes the day before after Israel and Damascus blamed each other for the hostilities. "We are very concerned by the attacks and how they were made. This is a gross violation of the sovereignty of Syria," the Russian ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement. Syria said via state media that its air defences shot down Israeli missiles near Damascus, while Israel said it was protecting itself from anti-aircraft fire. Moscow's defence ministry earlier said Israeli strikes had endangered two passenger planes. "The provocative actions of the Israeli air force.. directly threatened two airliners," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. He said the attack came from over Lebanese territory and came as "two airliners, not from Russia, were preparing to land at the airports of Beirut and Damascus". He said restrictions were imposed on the use of Syrian government forces' air defence systems "to prevent a tragedy". One of the planes was redirected to a Russian airbase within Syria. The Russian defence ministry said three Syrian military personnel were injured in a strike that saw Israeli warplanes drop 16 bombs. Of these, 14 were destroyed by Syrian defence systems, according to the ministry. If Israel is confirmed to have instigated the strikes, it would be the first attack since US President Donald Trump announced last week the withdrawal of American troops from Syria. Experts say Israel is to be greatly affected by the US pull out, as it would leave the area open to Iran and its partners to develop their military capacity. Moscow is an ally of Damascus and its intervention in Syria's civil war in 2015 was seen as key to propping up President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Moscow accuses Israel of 'gross violation of sovereignty' in Syria strikes

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