Pakistan Launches Airstrikes on Kabul and Kandahar Amid Rising Tensions with Afghanistan

On Friday, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan’s major cities, including the capital, Kabul, according to officials from both nations, marking a transformation of prolonged border tensions and minor skirmishes into open warfare.

The airstrikes also hit the southern city of Kandahar, which is known to be the residence of the Taliban's supreme leader, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, along with targets in the eastern province of Paktia.

A representative of the Taliban administration, Zabiullah Mujahid, confirmed the specifics of the airstrikes, stating: "Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Afghanistan’s two largest cities, including Kabul, on Friday."

The attacks took place shortly after Afghan military forces launched assaults on Pakistani border outposts, as reported by officials from both countries.

Authorities indicated that the recent Afghan attacks were retaliatory measures for Pakistani strikes that occurred earlier in the week, underscoring the rapid intensification of hostilities between the two neighboring countries.

As of now, officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan have not disclosed the casualty figures from the ongoing clashes. According to international news sources, including reports from The New York Times, the number of fatalities in either country remains unverified.