‘Killer drones, rockets’: How Pakistan army carried out airstrikes in Iran

The Pakistani army on Thursday shared operational details of the airstrikes against hideouts inside Iran used by “terrorists” of two leading “Baloch terrorist groups”.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that it carried out precision air strikes in Iran using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons, according to local media reports. Follow Pakistan-Iran news LIVE updates here.

The army said that it struck the hideouts of the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front in an intelligence-based operation, code-named ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’.

The army claimed that these hideouts were used by terrorists responsible for recent attacks in Pakistan. It added that targeted hideouts were being used by “notorious terrorists” including Dosta alias Chairman, Bajjar alias Soghat, Sahil alias Shafaq, Asghar alias Basham and Wazir alias Wazi, amongst others, according to Geo News.

“The precision strikes were carried out using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons. Maximum care was taken to avoid collateral damage,” it said.

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The ISPR said armed forces’ resolve to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan is respected and safeguarded against any misadventure, remains unwavering.

“Pakistan Armed Forces remain in a perpetual state of readiness to ensure the safety of Pakistan citizens against acts of terrorism,” the statement added. “We reaffirm our determination to defeat all enemies of Pakistan with the support of the people of Pakistan.”

The military’s media wing also stressed upon the need for dialogue and cooperation in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and Iran.

“Going forward, dialogue and cooperation is deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues between the two neighbouring brotherly countries,” it said.

Pakistan-Iran standoff

Nine people were killed in retaliatory air strikes by Pakistan on a border region in Iran's southeast on Thursday, stoking regional tensions.

Three women and four children were among those killed in the strikes, Iran's IRNA news agency reported, quoting the deputy provincial governor of Iran's Sistan-Baluchistan province.

The development comes two days after Iran carried out strikes against "terrorist" targets in Pakistan which left at least two children dead. Islamabad expelled the Iranian envoy to the country and recalled its ambassador from Tehran.

Iran and Pakistan share a 900-km somewhat lawless border that enables militants to move freely between nations. Notably, it was the first missile attack on Iranian soil since the end of the gruelling eight-year Iran-Iraq War in 1988, according to the Associated Press.

The attack and counter-attack raise the threat of violence spilling over to other parts of the Middle East, which is already reeling under the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

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