Pakistan carried out airstrikes and drone strikes on 10 military sites in Afghanistan early Thursday morning, targeting locations in the provinces of Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost. The operation followed reports of eight drones launched from Afghan territory the previous day, which Pakistani forces intercepted before they reached their targets.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the strikes on X, describing them as an exercise of the country's sovereign right to self-defense. He stated that the targets were used for launching and storing the drones and emphasized that the action was deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate, limited strictly to identified military objectives.

Afghan Taliban officials confirmed the strikes hit sites including the headquarters of the 203rd Mansouri Corps in Paktia province's capital Gardez and areas in Khost and Kandahar. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that four civilians were killed and condemned the attacks as aggression by the Pakistani military regime, vowing an appropriate response.

The escalation comes amid ongoing border tensions, including a cross-border infiltration attempt foiled by Pakistani troops and subsequent shelling of border posts. It follows earlier clashes this month and a militant attack in northern Pakistan last week that killed at least 31 people.

Pakistan has long accused elements within Afghanistan of harboring militants, including groups linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, that conduct attacks across the border. The latest strikes mark a further deterioration in relations between the two neighbors despite past mediation efforts by regional powers.

Local reports from Afghan sources varied on casualties, with some areas reporting no immediate deaths while Taliban authorities maintained the civilian toll. Pakistan has not released details on specific damage inflicted.