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Iran launches airstrikes on ‘Sunni militant bases’ in Pakistan Iran strikes ‘militant bases’ in Pakistan in latest Middle East flashpoint
(about 4 hours later)
Pakistan says attacks killed two children and wounded three others in ‘unprovoked violation’ of its airspace Pakistan says attacks killed two children in ‘unprovoked violation’ of its airspace, adding to regional instability sparked by Israel-Gaza war
Iran has launched airstrikes in Pakistan on what it described as bases for a Sunni militant group, potentially further raising tensions in region already inflamed by Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran has launched airstrikes on Pakistan territory, apparently aimed at a Sunni militant group, in the latest sign of a wave of violence rolling across the Middle East and beyond.
Pakistan said the attacks late on Tuesday killed two children and wounded three others in an assault it described as an “unprovoked violation” of its airspace. Pakistan’s foreign ministry said two children were killed and three others were injured in what it called an “illegal” airstrike, and summoned Tehran’s senior diplomat in Islamabad to protest against the “unprovoked violation of its airspace”. The ministry did not give more details of the strikes, but Pakistani social media accounts said missile and drone strikes had been aimed at the Balochistan province which lies along the 1,000km border between the two countries.
Confusion followed the announcement from Iran as state media reports on it soon disappeared. However, the attack inside of nuclear-armed Pakistan by Iran threatens the relations between the two countries, which long have considered each other with suspicion while maintaining diplomatic relations. In Iran, it was reported that the strikes were aimed at bases of a Sunni militant group, Jaish al-Adl, but references to the attack in Iranian media quickly disappeared. Iran and Pakistan have long had a tense relationship, in large part because of the activities of Balochi separatists and other militant groups in the border area. However, this would mark a significant escalation on the territory of its nuclear-armed neighbour.
The attack also followed Iranian strikes on Iraq and Syria less than a day earlier, as Tehran lashed out after a dual suicide bombing claimed by the Sunni militant group Islamic State that killed more than 90 people. The strikes in Pakistan came less than a day after Iranian missile strikes in Syria and Iraq, part of a string reprisals against Tehran’s enemies in the wake of a double suicide bombing in the city of Kerman on 3 January which killed more than 80 Iranians. Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for that attack. Is it unclear whether Tehran believes Jaish al-Adl is also involved, or it was just lashing out against foes to satisfy domestic calls for vengeance.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency and state television said that missiles and drones were used in the strikes in Pakistan to target the Jaish al-Adl militant group. Press TV, the English-language arm of Iranian state television, attributed the attack to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The Iranian reprisal attacks over the Kerman attack appear to have no direct connection with the Gaza war, but have come at a time when that conflict is already spreading instability across the region.
Jaish al-Adl, or the “Army of Justice,” is a Sunni militant group founded in 2012 which largely operates across the border in Pakistan. The militants have claimed bombings and kidnapped Iranian border police in the past. Attacks on Red Sea shipping by Houthi rebels acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, led to the US and allies carrying out airstrikes for the first time in Yemen, aimed at Houthi positions.
Iran has fought in border areas against the militants, but a missile-and-drone attack on Pakistan is unprecedented for Iran. Iranian reports described the strikes as happening in the mountains of Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The US launched a new strike against the Houthis on Tuesday, hitting anti-ship missiles in what was the third assault on the Iranian-backed group in recent days. In the latest attack on Red Sea shipping, a Greek-owned cargo ship was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday as it headed to the Suez canal. Greek officials said the Zografia, which remained navigable, had been sailing from Vietnam to Israel. No injuries were reported.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued a strongly-worded rebuke of the strikes. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, which was triggered by a Hamas attack on Israel which killed hundreds of civilians, the Iranian-back Hezbollah movement in Lebanon has also fired rockets regularly into northern Israel and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have struck back at southern Lebanon, sometimes with airstrikes.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran which resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls,” the statement read. “This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences.” Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland on Tuesday, but it was not clear what they discussed at the meeting.
It added: “Pakistan has always said terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action. Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighbourly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence.” Baluch nationalists have fought a low-intensity insurgency in Balochistan for more than two decades, which has developed into a bid for independence. Iran has long suspected Pakistan of providing a haven for the insurgents and fomenting instability on Iran’s south-eastern border, possibly in coordination with Saudi Arabia, Tehran’s arch rival.
Two Pakistani security officials said the Iranian strikes damaged a mosque in Balochistan’s Panjgur district, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) inside Pakistan from the Iranian border. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to journalists. Baluch militants have also crossed from Iran to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
The attack came even as Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. What the men discussed was not immediately clear. Iran and Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated detente in March last year, easing tensions. However, in April 2023, one such attack killed four Pakistani soldiers.
Balochistan has faced a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for more than two decades. Baluch nationalists initially wanted a share of provincial resources, but later initiated an insurgency for independence. On Monday, Iran fired missiles into northern Syria saying it was targeting IS bases, and into Iraq, aiming at what it claimed was an “Israeli espionage headquarters” and “terrorist groups” near the US consulate compound in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
Iran has long suspected Sunni-majority Pakistan as hosting insurgents, possibly at the behest of its regional arch-rival Saudi Arabia. However, Iran and Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated détente last March, easing tensions. On Tuesday, Iraq called the attacks, which killed several civilians, a “blatant violation” of Iraq’s sovereignty, recalled its ambassador from Tehran, and threatened to take Iran to the UN security council.
Meanwhile, attacks by militants entering from Iran have targeted Pakistani security forces. In April 2023, a militant attack from across the border with Iran killed four Pakistani soldiers in Balochistan province.
Late Monday, Iran fired missiles into northern Syria targeting the Islamic State group and into Iraq at what it called an Israeli “spy headquarters” near the US consulate compound in the city of Irbil.
On Tuesday, Iraq called the attacks, which killed several civilians, a “blatant violation” of Iraq’s sovereignty and recalled its ambassador from Tehran.