After Iran Strikes, Pakistan Weighs Options for Response

An Iranian airstrike inside Pakistan on Tuesday that Iran said was aimed at militant training camps has left Pakistani officials facing a difficult decision about whether to retaliate and potentially expand the turmoil that has swept the Middle East.

Relations between Pakistan and neighboring Iran reached a new low after Iran’s attack in the restive Balochistan region, with Pakistan reporting civilian casualties, including children, and warning that the violation of its sovereignty could have serious consequences. On Wednesday, Pakistan expelled the Iranian ambassador to Islamabad and recalled its own ambassador from Iran.

In a statement, Pakistan said it “reserves the right to respond” to what it called an illegal and unprovoked attack.

“The responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran,” it added.

But beyond the diplomatic protests and warnings, it was not immediately clear if Pakistan, which is reeling from political and economic crises and headed for parliamentary elections next month, is in a position to strike back militarily or enter into a drawn-out conflict with Iran.

Iran has been emboldened since the war in Gaza began in October, using proxy forces against Israel and its allies and increasing the risk of a spiraling regional conflict. On Tuesday, Tehran used its own military to attack both Pakistan and Iraq, responding to what it said were terrorist assaults inside Iran, exacerbating tensions in the region.

“If Pakistan hits back, it risks getting drawn into Middle East conflicts it has avoided so far,” said Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador who is now a scholar of diplomacy. “If it does not retaliate, it will appear weak yet again, and that will have consequences for the prestige of its armed forces.”