Pakistan carried out early morning air strikes on terrorist hideouts in Iran’s Siestan-o-Balochistan province on Thursday in what appears to be a response to Tehran's violation of its air space over a day ago. The Foreign Office (FO) confirmed the unprecedented action in a statement released shortly after. "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 number of terrorists were killed during the Intelligence-based operation – codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar'," the FO statement read. 🔊: PR NO. 1️⃣7️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣ Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar đź”—⬇️ https://t.co/1n5BvtEZBZ pic.twitter.com/I3UBKNrKFX — Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 18, 2024 A day earlier, Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Iran and expelled Tehran’s envoy in a swift move to the Iranian missile strikes as extensive consultations were underway to decide the next step. It was the first time that Pakistan had to recall its envoy from Iran, although the two countries have had troubled relations in the past. This highlights the level of tensions between the two neighbours. The rapid deterioration in ties was triggered by Iran’s missile and drone strikes inside Pakistan on Tuesday. Iran claimed the strikes were aimed at two ‘terrorist bases’ of Jaish-al Adl, a terrorist group operating from Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province. Read Iran says it targeted 'Iranian terrorist group' in Pakistan Pakistan strongly condemned what it called the “unprovoked violation of its airspace” by Iran and warned of serious consequences. Islamabad contested the Iranian claims and said the strikes killed two innocent children and injured three girls. Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar Today, the FO stated that, "Over the last several years, in our engagements with Iran, Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani-origin terrorists calling themselves Sarmachars on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran. Pakistan also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists. "However, because of a lack of action on our serious concerns, these so-called Sarmachars continued to spill the blood of innocent Pakistanis with impunity. This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities by these so called Sarmachars." Pakistan maintained that today's action was "a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats". "The successful execution of this highly complex operation is also a testimony to the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred," it 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," maintained the FO. A Pakistani intelligence source told Reuters the strikes were carried out by military aircraft. "Our forces have conducted strikes to target Baloch militants inside Iran," the intelligence official in Islamabad, the capital, said. "The targeted militants belong to BLF," he added, referring to the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF). "As a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan upholds the principles and purposes of the UN Charter including territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states. Guided by these principles, and in exercise of our legitimate rights within international law, Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be challenged, under any pretext or circumstances." The FO maintained that Iran is a "brotherly country and the people of Pakistan have great respect and affection for the Iranian people". "We have always emphasized dialogue and cooperation in confronting common challenges including the menace of terrorism and will continue to endeavour to find joint solutions," the FO statement concluded. Escalation fears Islamabad's comments after its retaliatory strikes signal a desire to keep the row contained, but analysts warned it could get out of hand. "Iran's motivation for attacking Pakistan remains opaque but in light of broader Iranian behaviour in the region it can escalate," Asfandyr Mir, a senior expert on South Asia security at the U. Institute of Peace, told Reuters. "What will cause anxiety in Tehran is that Pakistan has crossed a line by hitting inside Iranian territory, a threshold that even the US and Israel have been careful to not breach." Both targeted groups operate in an area that includes Pakistan's Balochistan and Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province. Both are restive, mineral-rich and largely underdeveloped. The BLF, which Islamabad targeted inside Iran, is waging an armed insurgency against the state. This includes hitting Chinese citizens and investments in Balochistan. The Jaish-al Adl, which Iran targeted, is also a militant group that routinely targets Iranian security forces. The group has also carried out attacks against the powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additional reporting by Reuters
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