Overview
- Pakistan said its air defences detected and shot down eight drones launched from Afghan territory, a claim reported by multiple Pakistani and international outlets for Wednesday.
- Pakistani forces say they also repulsed a militant infiltration from areas near Paktia and Nangarhar and exchanged artillery fire with Afghan Taliban positions after the foiled attempt.
- On Thursday Pakistan carried out precision aerial and drone strikes on 10 locations in Kandahar, Paktia and Khost that Islamabad described as drone‑launch and storage sites.
- The Afghan Taliban deny launching the drones and say Pakistani strikes killed civilians, while U.N. and Afghan reports have disputed Pakistan’s militant casualty claims and noted some civilian harm.
- The incidents have sharply raised the risk of wider escalation and are testing mediation efforts by regional actors such as China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia while putting civilians along the frontier at greater danger.