Pakistan Launches Air and Drone Strikes Into Afghanistan

Pakistan struck 10 sites across Afghanistan's Khost, Paktia, and Kandahar provinces early on September 24, using airstrikes and loitering munitions operated by the Army and Air Force. Pakistani authorities described the targets as militant positions, although independent confirmation of the selected sites, weapons effects, and casualty figures was limited. The operation demonstrates Islamabad's willingness to combine crewed aircraft and drones in cross-border counter-militant missions, while creating a fresh point of tension with Afghanistan over sovereignty, attribution, and the presence of armed groups near the frontier.