In a geopolitical development that unfolded between Pakistan and Iran, missile strikes were initiated by Pakistan into Iran, resulting in the unfortunate loss of nine lives. This retaliation followed Iran’s earlier strikes on Pakistani soil late on Tuesday.

 

Pakistan asserted that its targeted strikes were directed at “terrorist hideouts” nestled in Iran’s south-eastern Sistan-Baluchestan province. In response, Iran decried the attack, lamenting the casualties of three women, two men, and four children who were not of Iranian descent.

These reciprocal air strikes occurred amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, marked by a confluence of crises. Israel found itself engaged in conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza while simultaneously exchanging fire with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Concurrently, Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria targeted US forces. Further afield, the US and UK conducted strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who had been persistent in attacking maritime interests.

 

Pakistan’s foreign ministry elucidated that their strikes around the Iranian city of Saravan were executed based on “credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities.” Emphasizing its commitment to respecting Iran’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Pakistan detailed that the strikes utilized drones, rockets, and long-range missiles, specifically targeting the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front.

 

Both these groups have been entangled in a protracted struggle for increased autonomy in Balochistan, a secluded region in south-western Pakistan. In the aftermath of Iran’s strike on Tuesday, which Pakistan vehemently condemned, the situation escalated. Iran’s strike had impacted an area in Pakistan’s Balochistan province near the Iranian border, resulting in the deaths of two children, according to Islamabad.

 

Iran, however, maintained that its strikes were solely aimed at Jaish al-Adl, also known as the “army of justice,” an ethnic Baloch Sunni Muslim militant group formerly identified as Jundullah. This group has been responsible for carrying out attacks within Iran, and Iran clarified that their actions were not directed towards the citizens of Pakistan.

 

Thursday saw reports from Iranian state media indicating that Tehran had summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires over the strikes. In response, Pakistan had previously recalled its ambassador and prevented the return of the Iranian envoy.

 

In the midst of this tense situation, China, Turkey, and the Taliban government in Afghanistan have all advocated for restraint and urged dialogue as the preferred means of resolution.