Pakistan carried out strikes on conflict-triggered targets in Iran on Thursday, a day after Tehran carried out attacks on Pakistani territory this week.
Iranian state media reported that three women and four children were killed in the blasts in the country’s southeast.
“This morning, Pakistan carried out a systematic and specifically targeted military strike on terrorist hideouts in Iran’s Sistan-o-Baluchistan province,” a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said, adding that “several terrorists were killed. “
Iran on Tuesday confirmed it had carried out strikes against “a terrorist group” in Pakistan behind the attack – which Islamabad said resulted in the death of two children.
Today’s action has been taken in the light of possible information about impending major local terrorist activities,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.
Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported that “bangs were heard in several areas around Saravan city”, citing a provincial official.
On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist activities as “unmotivated and a clear violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty”, after which it recalled its envoy from Iran and blocked Tehran’s ambassador from returning.
Iran’s government said the missile and drone attack targeted the Jaish al-Adal group in Pakistan, following which Tehran also attacked “anti-Iran terrorist groups” in Iraq and Syria.
Tehran and Islamabad repeatedly accuse each other of using militants to carry out attacks from each other’s territory, but such a direct clash of official forces is rare.
Islamabad said the attack resulted in the death of two children.