Pakistan launched “precise” military strikes on Iranian territory in response to a bombing in its southwestern Balochistan province that killed two children on Wednesday. The strikes come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Iran.
In response to recent attacks on its territory by Iran, Pakistan carried out precision military strikes on Thursday morning against terrorist hideouts in Iran’s Siestan-o-Baluchistan province, according to a statement from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement mentioned that the strikes were highly coordinated and specifically targeted, resulting in the elimination of a “number of terrorists.” The action was taken based on credible intelligence indicating an impending large-scale terrorist threat.
The move comes after Iran confirmed carrying out strikes against what it termed a “terrorist group” in Pakistan earlier in the week, an attack that Pakistan claims resulted in the death of two children. Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported several explosions in areas around the city of Saravan in response to Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had denounced Iran’s earlier attack as an “unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty,” leading to the recall of its ambassador from Iran and blocking Tehran’s envoy from returning.
Escalating Tension In The Region
Iran’s missile and drone attack targeted the Jaish al-Adl group in Pakistan, as stated by Iran’s government. The situation adds to the ongoing crises in the Middle East, including Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Houthi rebels in Yemen attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
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While Iran’s Defence Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani asserted that Tehran would set “no limits” to its security, China, a close partner to both Iran and Pakistan, urged restraint to avoid escalating tensions.
The United States condemned the Iranian strikes in Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria, criticizing Iran for violating the sovereign borders of its neighbors. Pakistan’s official statement did not specify the exact location of Thursday’s strike, but local media reported it near Panjgur in southwest Balochistan province, where the two countries share a border.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the “unacceptability” of the violation of its sovereignty and expressed concerns about the consequences, highlighting the tragic outcome of the strike with the “death of two innocent children while injuring three girls.”