𝐀𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧

Pakistani jets retaliated today against Iranian targets, escalating tensions and killing seven people.

Statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Precision military strikes” carried out by Pakistani forces against terrorist hideouts in southeastern Iran.

The strikes in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan provinces occurred after Iran launched an attack on Pakistani territory, killing two children in southwestern Baluchistan. Pakistan’s foreign ministry referred to Iran’s retaliatory attack as an “unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran.” An Islamabad-based security expert argued that Pakistan had to respond to Iran’s strike. This was because Iran mistakenly believed that an unprovoked, surprise military assault on Pakistan would not elicit a strong, well-timed response.

Iran expressed outrage after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the January 3 twin bomb suicide attack in Kerman, which killed at least 95 people during a ceremony honoring late commander Qassim Soleimani.

Faced with radical strikes, Iran and Pakistan distrust each other. Iran and nuclear-armed Pakistan have traditionally had strained diplomatic relations; the strikes have jeopardized those ties. These strikes fueled the flames of instability in the Middle East, where Israel is at full-scale war with Hamas over the Gaza Strip. Pakistan’s described the attack as “a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes.” Disagreement has recently reached a new level between Iran and its neighboring states. Along with its missile launches into Iraq, Iran also targeted what it called Israeli “spy headquarters” and other sites linked to the Islamic State. A “blatant violation” of Iraq’s sovereignty, the attacks prompted the recall of the country’s ambassador from Tehran.

@prognoz_news