A military operation that puts the forces on the offensive against a precise enemy target and return to primary positions with lightning speed qualifies as a surgical strike.
A surgical strike requires solid intel, exhaustive planning and need to be carried out with precision to achieve it.
Indian Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Ranbir Singh today announced that the Army had conducted surgical strikes along the Line of Control (LoC) last night. Terrorists had, according to the Army, begun gathering in large numbers along the LoC with the objective of infiltrating and targeting locations in Jammu and Kashmir and other metros.
A surgical strike does not mean war. It allows the military to go on the offensive and send a message, while preventing a full-blown war.
Surgical strikes can include either or a combination of air raids, para dropping troops or ground operations. All three forces of the Indian Army have special op teams trained to carry out surgical strikes.
Surgical strikes are usually part of covert operations allowing the government to maintain plausible deniability.
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