A day after Iranian missiles hit Balochi militant bases in Pakistan, the Pakistan Air Force on Thursday retaliated, launching airstrikes on alleged Baloch separatist camps inside the Iranian territory, according to reports.
This came as Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry lashed out at Iran for the strike that allegedly killed "two innocent children". Islamabad warned Tehran of "serious consequences", adding that it reserved the right to retaliate against the attack.
According to reports, Pakistan attacked the posts of the Balochistan Liberation Front and the Balochistan Liberation Army in Iran. The targets were reportedly the hideouts of Baloch militants who were wanted by Pakistan. However, Pakistan is yet to officially confirm the airstrikes.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani informed his Iranian counterpart that the unprecedented attack by Iran seriously damaged the ties between the two nations.
A statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said Jilani, who is currently leading the Pakistan delegation to the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Uganda, held a telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. Jilani is said to have informed Abdollahian that the attack conducted by Iran "was not only a serious breach of Islamabad's sovereignty but also an egregious violation of international law and the spirit of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran."
"The incident has caused serious damage to bilateral ties between Pakistan and Iran," the statement said. "Pakistan reserved the right to respond to this provocative act."
The statement stressed that terrorism was a common threat to the region and required concerted and coordinated efforts to combat this menace. "No country in the region should tread this perilous path," the minister told his Iranian counterpart.