While the extent of damage could not be ascertained, an Army spokesman told reporters here that positions held by the sneakers in certain areas were becoming increasingly difficult to retain owing to high rate of attrition and lack of ration, ammunition and medical cover.

``The indication is that the morale of the Pakistani intruders is very low and some of them were contemplating the idea of falling back and withdrawing,'' he said.

The area north-east of Kargil was brought under intense fire power by the Indian forces with fighter jets pounding positions held by the intruders. The infiltrators were finding it impossible to sustain without fresh supplies of food, ammunition and medical aid, it was stated.

The Army has also launched an offensive in Drass sub-sector tocapture strategically important Tiger hills after cordoning the intruders from three sides, defence minstry sources said.

They said it was a matter of time before the enemy forces would either run away or killed.

Yet another target of attack on Wednesday was a hill feature known as Marpola height where intruders are learnt to have taken sanctuary. The attempt is to snap their supply lines.

Sources said the heavy air strikes in this hill feature forced intruders to flee from bunkers. More raids are likely to flush out the remaining infiltrators, sources said.

Heavy shelling by Pakistan damaged the residential quarters of Radio Kashmir Kargil. However, no one was injured, the sources said.

Indian artillery and mortar firing also targeted Pakistani forward positions. Pakistani troops hit civilian targets in Uri and Gurez sector in North of Kashmir causing damage to houses, the sources said

The panic-stricken residents of these areas were forced to spend their night out as shells from across theborder whistled around them whole night, the sources said.

Pakistan, these sources said, had mobilised its troops along the line of control in other parts of the valley besides the Kargil and Drass sectors. India had taken adequate precautions to respond to any situation, it was stated.

Meanwhile, India on Wednesday appreciated US President Bill Clinton's stand on the Kargil sitution. He has asked Pakistan to withdraw its troops from across the LoC. ``We are glad to see that the basic fact of the situation and the whole misadventure, originating in Pakistan, has been recognised by the US government,'' ministry officials said.