Pakistan confirms strikes against ‘terrorists’ on Iranian soil

Pakistan has said it launched a series of airstrikes on “terrorist hideouts” in southern Iran, claiming the “precision” operation neutralized several militants. The attack comes after Tehran acknowledged its own raids on another terrorist group based in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials, cited by local media, said that explosions in the Sistan-o-Balochistan province had killed seven non-Iranian nationals, including three women and four children. Tehran has also demanded an “immediate explanation” from Pakistan about the strikes, Iranian broadcaster Press TV reported, citing an unnamed informed source.

Islamabad’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the military action on Thursday morning, declaring the mission a success, while vowing to “take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people.”

“This morning, Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Sistan-o-Balochistan province of Iran. A number of terrorists were killed during the Intelligence-based operation – codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar,’” the ministry said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry went on to explain that it had voiced “serious concerns” to Iran in recent years over “safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani origin terrorists” based in Iranian territory, but said Tehran had failed to act on the complaints. It insisted that it “fully respects” Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that preserving Pakistan’s security was the “sole objective” of Thursday’s strikes.

Islamabad’s attack comes after Iran claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s missile and drone attacks on Pakistani Balochistan, which it said targeted the Jaish al-Adli terrorist group. At the time, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stressed that the attack had only targeted Iranian “terrorists” and not Pakistani citizens.

Iran’s operation, however, angered Pakistan, which recalled its ambassador to the country while warning Tehran of “serious consequences.”

Both strikes come at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, fueled by the Hamas-Israel conflict. Earlier this week, Iran also conducted strikes on what it described as an Israeli “espionage center” in Iraq – which landed near the US consulate – as well as Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists in Syria. The barrage came in response to two previous blasts in Iran that claimed the lives of dozens of people, according to Tehran.