Seven terror launch pads were targeted across the LoC by special forces of the Indian Army during the 'surgical strike' overnight in which heliborne and ground forces were used, defence sources said today.

The sources said the operation began at around mid-night last night and ended at around 4:30 AM this morning.

The terror launch pads targeted were in the range of 2 to 3km from the Line of Control(LoC) and were under surveillance for over one week, the sources said.

They said the operation was a combination of heliborne and ground forces.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said India carried out 'surgical strike' on terror launch pads across the LoC, inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists and those who are trying to support them.

He said "based on very credible and specific information which we received yesterday that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launch pads along the Line of Control with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes in Jammu & Kashmir and in various other metros in our country, the Indian army conducted surgical strikes last night at these launch pads."

The announcement of the strikes by the Indian army was made soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS).

The DGMO said he had spoken to the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations and explained India's concerns and also shared with him details of the operation.

"It is India's intention to maintain peace and tranquility in the region, but we can certainly not allow the terrorists to operate across the Line of Control with impunity and attack the citizens of our country.

"In line with Pakistan's commitment made in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control for any terrorist activities against India, we expect the Pakistani army to cooperate with us with a view to erase this menace of terrorism from our region," he said.