Tension between two countries escalated after the Afghan Taliban forces, reportedly, launched drone strikes against some key military installations in Pakistan. The most notable of them is the successful drone attack against the Nur Khan Air Base located within the territory of Rawalpindi.
The timing of the strike is particularly galling for the Pakistani military. Nur Khan was one of the primary targets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, and the base has been under extensive reconstruction for the best part of nine months. This latest assault, reportedly using kamikaze drones, has reportedly undone much of that repair work and caused fresh damage to the facility's infrastructure.
In a statement posted to their official account on X, the Taliban administration confirmed a wider, co-ordinated campaign. Beyond the strike in Rawalpindi, they claimed to have hit the 12th Division headquarters in Quetta, Balochistan, and the Khwazai Camp in the Mohmand Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
"Today, the Air Force of the Ministry of National Defence conducted precise and co-ordinated aerial operations against key military installations in Pakistan," the statement read, framing the attacks as a direct response to recent Pakistani airstrikes on Kabul and Bagram.
The situation has rapidly devolved into what Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has termed an "open war". Although Islamabad has struck back with its own operation, termed Operation Ghazab-ul-Haq, the extent and complexity of the Taliban’s drone technology have left many observers in the region amazed. With both sides claiming high casualties, the traditional border between the two countries, the Durand Line, has become a front line, and the chances of a de-escalation look distant.
Also read: Pakistan forces kill 331 Afghan fighters, destroy 130 posts
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