After Iran’s attack on the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Tuesday, which killed two children, Pakistan retaliated today using “coordinated” drones and rockets to strike the separatist Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) at Sistan-Baluchestan province in Iran that borders Pakistan, killing three women and four children, all non-Iranian, according to Reuters.
Iran had claimed it was targeting “Jaish al-Adl” sites in Balochistan, Pakistan, raising tensions between the neighbors and sparking fears of a broader conflict.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister asserted that “a number of terrorists were killed during the intelligence-based operation,” the “sole objective” of which he said was to pursue “Pakistan’s own security and national interest, which is paramount and cannot be compromised.”
On Wednesday, Islamabad withdrew its ambassador to Iran in protest of the “blatant breach” of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Nasser Kanaani strongly condemned the strikes, adding that Pakistan’s charge d’affaires, the country’s most senior diplomat in Tehran, has been asked to provide an explanation.