Islamabad and Tehran engaged in a tit-for-tat exchange of airstrikes targeting suspected militant hideouts, raising concerns about a potential regional conflict.
Pakistan launched “highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes” against “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-o-Baluchistan province on Thursday, a day after Iran attacked Jaish al-Adl, a Pakistani Baloch militant group, within its territory.
Both sides claim their actions were in response to attacks on their soil. Pakistan alleges its strikes killed “a number of terrorists,” while Iranian media reports nine people, including four children, were killed.
This escalation follows rising tensions between the two neighbors. Earlier this week, Iran targeted Jaish al-Adl bases in Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to accuse Tehran of violating its sovereignty and threaten “serious consequences.”
Further complicating the situation, Jaish al-Adl is designated a terrorist group by both Pakistan and Iran, highlighting the complex web of allegiances and grievances fueling the conflict.
The tit-for-tat strikes come amid heightened regional instability, with the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict and increased attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea.
Pakistan Says Iran Airstrikes Killed Two Children, Iran Claims it Struck Militant Base. Read More
