Pakistan said it carried out air and drone strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan early Thursday, September 24, 2026, following what it called attempted drone attacks from Afghan territory a day earlier.
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes targeted locations for launching and storing drones. He said the operation was a response to what Pakistan called a violation of its sovereignty.
According to Pakistani officials, the country’s air defence systems detected and neutralised eight drones before they got close to their intended targets. The drones had been launched from Afghanistan and were linked to attacks near the Pakistani border.
Tensions Rise Along Pakistan-Afghanistan Border
The latest strikes are another escalation of relations between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan has consistently accused the Taliban government of allowing militants in Afghanistan to operate from Afghan territory and launch attacks in Pakistan.
Afghanistan has rejected those accusations. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denied that Afghan forces had carried out attacks against Pakistan.
The Afghan forces had also allegedly shelled Pakistani border positions after an attempted militant infiltration. Pakistani forces, according to Pakistani officials, fired artillery against positions and mortar sites, as well. These accounts were provided by Pakistani officials and could not be independently verified.
Strikes Reported in Khost
In Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province, a provincial official said Pakistani strikes hit some locations, including areas close to the provincial capital, early on Thursday.
The official said there were no immediate reports of casualties from those strikes. Pakistan has not publicly identified all the 10 locations it says were targeted.
The latest operation took place only days after Pakistan carried out separate strikes in eastern Afghanistan. Pakistan said it hit militant hideouts and claimed 28 militants were killed. However, Afghan authorities claimed at least three civilians were killed and four others injured. The UN mission in Afghanistan confirmed civilian casualties.
International Mediation Under Pressure
The intensifying tension could also make diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict between the two neighbors more complicated.
According to reports, China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been involved in efforts to encourage dialogue between Kabul and Islamabad. The latest strikes and continuing accusations could make those mediation efforts more difficult.
Both countries have drawn accusations about cross-border militant activities, and Kabul has rejected Pakistan’s claim that Afghan territory is being used to organise attacks against Pakistan.
