• Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan targeting militant camps linked to recent suicide attacks.
• The operations have drawn condemnation from the Afghan government, citing civilian casualties.
• Dozens are reported dead, including women and children, from the airstrikes that hit multiple locations.
• Pakistan claims these actions are essential for security following increased violence attributed to the Pakistani Taliban.
• The strikes highlight ongoing tensions between the two countries since the Taliban's return to power.

Pakistan reported it conducted airstrikes against militant camps in Afghanistan, targeting those it blames for a surge in violence, including suicide bombings during Ramadan. The strikes occurred in the border provinces of Paktika and Nangarhar, marked as a significant escalation in tension between Islamabad and Kabul, especially after recent terror attacks that killed multiple soldiers in Pakistan, including 11 in Bajaur district and others in Bannu, following which officials claimed the attackers were Afghan nationals, according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

The Pakistani military described the strikes as "intelligence-based, selective operations" targeting camps of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliates of the Islamic State in Afghanistan. Reports indicate that a religious seminary and civilian residences were among the sites hit, leading to significant casualties. Afghan officials stated that “dozens” were killed, including women and children, vowing those strikes targeted civilians in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, as highlighted by India Times and Reuters.

Eyewitness accounts from local Afghan sources described scenes of devastation, particularly in Behsud district where a family home was struck. Reports claim rescuers struggled to locate survivors amid the rubble, which contrasted with Pakistan's assertion of precision targeting against militant infrastructure. The situation underscored Pakistan's claim of "conclusive evidence" tying these militants to attacks on its soil, as stated by Pakistani authorities, including Minister Attaullah Tarar, according to India Times and India Times.

The Afghan government has vehemently condemned the airstrikes, with spokespeople accusing Pakistan of deflecting from its own security shortcomings and stating that the Taliban does not harbor groups engaging in cross-border attacks. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to deteriorate since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, with previous ceasefires showing fragility amid ongoing violence and diplomatic tensions, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.