Pakistan carries out airstrikes on targets in Iran

Pakistan said Thursday it had conducted overnight strikes on insurgent groups in Iran.

It comes two days after Tehran attacked, “terrorist targets” inside the South Asian country.

“This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran,” a Foreign Ministry statement said, adding that a “number of terrorists were killed.”

The statement added, “Pakistan fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest, which is paramount and cannot be compromised.”

Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported explosions in the country’s restive southeastern region.

“Several explosions have been heard in several areas around the city of Saravan,” IRNA said, quoting an official in Sistan-Baluchistan province where the city is situated.

Iranian media reported that at least three women and four children were killed in one of the explosions, adding that they were all non-Iranians.

The country’s Mehr news agency said that several people were wounded.

Tehran has asked Islamabad for an explanation about the strikes, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

On Tuesday, Iran said that it struck bases belonging to Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that two children were killed in the incident and condemned the strikes as an “unprovoked violation” of its airspace.

On Wednesday, Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Iran and blocked Tehran’s envoy from returning to Islamabad following the strikes from Iran.