The tensions between Iran and Pakistan spiked to a level unseen in three decades on Thursday when the Pakistani military conducted strikes inside Iran against what it said were “terrorist” targets.
The strikes constitute the first time a neighboring country has carried out a public attack inside Iran since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. While the form of escalation is rare, the trouble along the Iranian-Pakistani border and surrounding regions is not new. Here is a look at the roots of the unrest:
What happened?
The current escalation began on Tuesday when Iran struck what it said were Jaish al-Adl targets inside Pakistan’s Baluchistan province. The Pakistani government condemned the strike, saying two children were killed.
