Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached a new peak following a series of "planned and calibrated" airstrikes conducted by Pakistani forces on Thursday. Afghan Taliban officials report that the operations, which targeted locations in the Kunar and Helmand provinces, resulted in the deaths of nine people, including women and children, while leaving eleven others injured. The Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, has officially condemned the attacks, characterizing them as an act of aggression that breaches international principles.

In response, the Pakistani information ministry justified the operation by citing "credible intelligence" regarding militant hideouts. Islamabad claimed the strikes were precise and focused solely on eliminating specific terrorist camps belonging to groups they hold responsible for regional instability. This military action marks a significant breakdown in the relative peace the two nations had experienced over the last three months, further fueling the ongoing diplomatic standoff. While Pakistan continues to accuse the Taliban government of providing sanctuary to cross-border militants, Kabul maintains that the rise in militancy is a domestic crisis that Pakistan must resolve internally.