Afghanistan's air force has crossed into Pakistani territory and carried out airstrikes on ISIS positions in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Afghan Defense Ministry confirmed the operation, stating that warplanes bombed an ISIS extremist center in the Saranan area of Pashin district in Balochistan.
A Direct Answer to the June 29 Strike
The Afghan airstrikes are a deliberate response to Pakistan's June 29 bombing of Afghan territory, which killed 36 civilians and left more than 160 people wounded. In the immediate aftermath of that attack, Afghanistan publicly declared it would respond. This cross-border military operation is the delivery on that declared intent.
Intelligence-Driven Operation
The Afghan Defense Ministry said the operation was built entirely on intelligence gathered beforehand. The targeted sites had been identified as locations from which terrorist plots against Afghanistan were being organized and coordinated. The ministry's stated purpose for the strikes was singular: to destroy ISIS infrastructure that was actively threatening Afghan security. The claim, however, has not been independently verified.
Pakistan Stays Silent
Pakistan has offered no official response to the Afghan airstrikes. The absence of any government statement, despite a foreign military having conducted operations inside Pakistani borders, has further heightened diplomatic strain between the two neighbors.
Afghanistan's Firm Stand on National Security
Afghanistan's position is unambiguous: the country will not tolerate any compromise on its national security. Officials stated that all necessary countermeasures against cross-border terrorist threats will continue to be pursued. Afghan authorities also issued a warning that if the country's security faces any threat in the future, a military response of the same kind will be on the table.
