The strikes were carried out in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province, Paktika Province and Khost Province in response to recent suicide attacks inside Pakistan, according to officials. Targets included multiple facilities described as training centres and operational bases associated with the TTP and its affiliates, as well as elements of Daesh-Khorasan.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed the cross-border action, calling it “precise and accurate” and describing it as retaliation for recent bombings in Islamabad, Bajaur and Bannu. Officials alleged that the attacks were orchestrated by Afghanistan-based handlers.
President Asif Ali Zardari said on X that Pakistan’s actions reflected its right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism, citing a recent UN Security Council report and warning that those responsible for violence inside Pakistan would not remain beyond reach.
State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said nearly 70 militants had initially been neutralised, with subsequent assessments raising the toll above 80. He added that around 70,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) have been conducted inside Pakistan as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts, resulting in arrests and the dismantling of networks.
Chaudhry said Pakistan had made repeated diplomatic efforts, including military-to-military engagements, urging Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant groups. He referred to commitments made under the 2020 Doha agreement, under which the Afghan Taliban pledged not to allow Afghan soil to be used for international terrorism.
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have escalated in recent months amid a spike in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Pakistani officials say several militant outfits are operating from Afghan territory, a claim they argue has also been reflected in UN reporting.
Border clashes in October 2025 resulted in significant casualties on both sides, and despite subsequent talks, no lasting ceasefire was reached. Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has reported a rise in cross-border militant activity, particularly along its western frontier.
Officials have called for national unity in confronting the threat, emphasising continued operations against militant groups “irrespective of location.”
