Pakistan retaliates with airstrikes in Iran, several killed

The Pakistani army carried out overnight strikes in Iran, as announced by a Pakistani intelligence official on Thursday, in response to Tehran's strikes against sites in Pakistan that resulted in the deaths of two children - per Pakistan’s statements.

The unnamed senior intelligence source, cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP), "I can only confirm that we conducted strikes against armed groups opposed to Pakistan, targeted inside Iran," adding that a government statement would be issued later.

Explosions were heard Thursday morning southeast of Iran, two days after Tehran executed strikes against "terrorist targets" in Pakistan.

Iran's official news agency (IRNA) quoted an official in Sistan-Baluchestan province as saying that the sound of "explosions was heard in several areas around the city of Saravan."

Iranian official media reported that three women and four children were killed in the Pakistani attack, "Pakistan attacked an Iranian border village with missiles. Three women and four children, all non-Iranians, were killed."

Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, issued a statement regarding the Iranian attacks inside Pakistan’s territory, saying, "No Pakistani citizen was targeted during the recent Iranian missile and drone attack," indicating that the targeted group was the “Jaish ul-Adl” and Iranian terrorists within Pakistani territory.

The group "Jaish ul-Adl" claims to fight Iran for the independence of Sistan and Baluchestan province, seeking more rights for the Balochi people, who constitute the main ethnic group in the province.

The group has launched several attacks against Iranian security forces since its establishment and has been listed on the United States’ terrorism lists since 2010.