Terrorist hideouts of BLA, BLF struck in Iran, says ISPR

The Pakistan armed forces struck hideouts used by terrorist organisations, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), inside Iran in an intelligence-based operation, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday.

The military's media wing elaborated that the "precision strikes" were carried out using armed drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons.

"Maximum care was taken to avoid collateral damage."

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.

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.

The military codenamed the retaliatory strikes as 'Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar'.

"The targeted hideouts were being used by notorious terrorists including Dosta alias Chairman, Bajjar alias Soghat, Sahil alias Shafaq, Asghar alias Basham and Wazir alias Wazi, amongst others," said the ISPR.

Read Experts condemn Iran's missile attack on Pakistan

The military assured that the armed forces "remain in a perpetual state of readiness to ensure the safety of Pakistan citizens against acts of terrorism."

"Our resolve to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan is respected and safeguarded against any misadventure remains unwavering. We reaffirm our determination to defeat all enemies of Pakistan with the support of the people of Pakistan."

Signalling de-escalation, the military said that going forward dialogue and cooperation are "deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues" between Islamabad and Tehran.

Following the Iranian attack on Pakistan's territory, Islamabad 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.

Targeted 'Iranian terrorist group' in Pakistan

Tehran's top diplomat said that his country's armed forces targeted an "Iranian terrorist group" in Pakistan. 

"None of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones," Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"The so-called Jaish al-Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted," he added.

The attack on Pakistani soil was carried out after similar attacks in Iraq and Syria against what Tehran called "anti-Iranian terrorist groups".

However, Tuesday’s strike came as a major surprise because Tehran opted for this option despite the existence of channels of communication between the two countries.

A few hours before the strike, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar met Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the Davos Forum.

Amir-Abdollahian said Iran's attack on "Pakistan's soil" was a response to the Jaish al-Adl group's recent deadly attacks on the Islamic republic, particularly on the city of Rask in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan.

The foreign minister said Iran respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan but would not "allow the country's national security to be compromised or played with".