Summary Monday’s airstrikes on militant hideouts in Kunar and Paktika are not an isolated event. They are the latest chapter in a cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation between Pakistan and Afghanistan that has played out repeatedly since February 2026. Understanding the pattern helps explain why another round of violence was, in many ways, expected. Background The current phase of hostilities traces back to February 2026, when Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory triggered retaliatory attacks from Afghan forces. By June, Pakistan launched a further ground operation and calibrated strikes along…
Read MoreBehind the Pakistan-Afghanistan Airstrikes: A Conflict That Keeps Repeating
