Pakistan Slams Iran for Airstrike Killing 2 Children

Pakistan strongly criticized Iran for carrying out airstrikes on Tuesday, which Tehran claimed were aimed at a militant Sunni separatist group. The strikes occurred in Baluchistan, a tumultuous region in southwestern Pakistan, resulting in the death of two children and straining the diplomatic ties between the two countries. Despite their longstanding mutual suspicion over militant activities, both nations seemed cautious about escalating tensions further.

The incident also posed a risk of intensifying violence in the already unstable Middle East, especially considering the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Iran’s actions, which included attacks in Iraq and Syria in response to an Islamic State suicide bombing, have raised concerns in the region.

Iran’s state media initially reported that the Revolutionary Guard targeted bases belonging to Jaish al-Adl, a group seeking an independent Baluchistan and active in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. However, these reports were later retracted without explanation. Jaish al-Adl admitted to being targeted and claimed that the strikes killed two children and injured several women and a teenage girl. Footage from the scene displayed a burning building and two small, charred bodies.

Pakistani intelligence identified the deceased children as a 6-year-old girl and an 11-month old boy, and reported injuries to three women. The strikes, believed to be drone and missile attacks, damaged a mosque and residential buildings.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry strongly protested to Iran, summoning an Iranian diplomat in Islamabad to condemn the breach of its sovereignty. A senior Pakistani security official indicated that Iran had not communicated before the strike and that Pakistan retains the right to respond appropriately.

The response in Pakistan was somewhat muted, with the media showing unusual restraint in reporting the incident. Defense analyst Syed Muhammad Ali suggested that Pakistan would carefully consider its response, noting the country’s air defense systems are mainly focused on the eastern border with India but might need adjustments for threats from the western border.

Founded in 2012, Jaish al-Adl has been involved in several attacks and kidnappings in Iran. Iran suspects the group operates largely from Pakistan and has accused Pakistan of harboring insurgents, possibly influenced by Saudi Arabia. However, recent easing of tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia following a Chinese-mediated détente might impact this dynamic.

The reason behind Iran’s sudden attack remains unclear, especially given the concurrent meeting of Iran’s foreign minister with Pakistan’s prime minister at the World Economic Forum.

This attack adds to the regional instability, following similar Iranian strikes in northern Iraq and Syria. Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Pakistan signals a significant