Pakistan's military carried out airstrikes against ten locations across Afghanistan early Thursday following alleged cross-border drone incursions into Pakistani airspace.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the precision strikes targeted military storage and launch facilities used by hostile groups to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid strongly condemned the attacks, reporting strikes in Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces that killed four civilians. The Pakistani government maintained that its air defenses had intercepted all incoming drones on Wednesday before striking back in calibrated self-defense.
Cross-border skirmishes and aerial bombardments have intensified sharply between the two countries, disrupting regional security and stalling diplomatic mediation by regional powers. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reiterated urgent calls for both nations to respect international humanitarian law and halt actions endangering civilian lives.