Why Did Iran Launch Attack On Sunni Militant Bases In Pakistan?

Iran launched a series of attacks using missiles and drones in Pakistan’s Balochistan on Tuesday, potentially raising further tensions in the Middle East, which has already been roiled by Israel’s war on Gaza. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard targetted sites that it reportedly described as bases of Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group, according to state media. 

The offensive came to light when social media accounts reported blasts in the mountainous province. At least two children have been killed and three others injured, Islamabad confirmed. "violation of its airspace" condemning the attacks that was in violation of its airspace.

Who are Jaish al-Adl militant group?

Jaish al-Adl, or the “Army of Justice”, is a Sunni militant group founded in 2012 that largely operates across the border in Pakistan. They are one of several militant separatist groups who claim to be fighting for the independence of the Sistan and Baluchestan (also known as Asli Balouchestan) province in Iran, bordering Pakistan’s Balochistan province and the Indian Ocean. 

The militant group operates mainly in southeastern Iran which has a porous border with Pakistan where Iran has fought many times against them. The militants have also claimed bombings and kidnapped Iranian border police in the past. However, a missile-and-drone attack on Pakistan would be unprecedented for Iran.

Moreover, according to the Associated Press, local authorities who requested anonymity confided that the missile attacks also hit a mosque, partially damaging it and injuring civilians.

Why did Iran launch an attack in Pakistan?

According to Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim, the focal point of the attacks was “Kouh-Sabz” or Green Mountain in a town called Panjgur in Balochistan province. They were targeted at what the agency described as “two key strongholds of the Jaysh al-Dhulm (Jaish al-Adl) terrorist group” which were "specifically targeted and successfully demolished".

The latest spell of attacks follows Iranian strikes on Iraq and Syria less than a day ago, as Tehran lashed out following a dual suicide bombing earlier this month. The bombing in Tehran, which killed over 90 people, was claimed by the Sunni militant group Islamic State.

Late night on Monday, Iran had fired missiles into northern Syria targeting the IS group and into Iraq’s Irbil at what it called Israeli “spy headquarters” located near the US Consulate compound.

Several civilians were killed in Iraq, what it called a “blatant violation” of the country’s sovereignty and recalled its ambassador from Tehran. 

What the attacks mean for Iran-Pakistan relations

Iran and Pakistan share a 959-kilometre (596-mile) border, most of which is falls in the restive province of Sistan-Balochistan, where Iran’s Sunni minority lives in constant fear of discrimination and outcaste.

This is not the first time Iran has accused the Sunni-majority Pakistan of harbouring militant groups who carry out cross-border strikes, possibly at the behest of its regional archrival Saudi Arabia. However, Iran and Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated détente last March, easing tensions. 

Pakistan has always denied the allegations and urged Iran to respect its territorial integrity. Any attack by Iran inside of nuclear-armed Pakistan risks threatening diplomatic relations between the two countries that have for long eyed each other with scepticism. 

The mountains of Pakistan's Balochistan province have been the scene of a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for more than two decades. Baluch nationalists initially wanted a share of provincial resources, but later initiated an insurgency for independence.

Broader implications

Since Israel’s retaliation to Hamas attacks of October 7, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have launched near-daily drone attacks on bases housing US forces in Iraq and Syria, which the groups have said was in response to Washington's support of Israel, and in an attempt to force US troops out of the region.

The unsteady dynamics between Iran and Pakistan play a role in the region’s fragile geopolitics. Moreover, in the backdrop of the United States, the United Kingdom and their allies retaliating against Houthis in the Red Sea, the latest attacks by Iran in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan signal a disturbing trend.

While authorities have not offered any explanation of exactly what was happening, news agency AP reported that sensitive stories in Iran may suddenly disappear from state media. As the situation in the Middle East appears to be expanding, the international community watches closely to come up with a strategic response to prevent a full-fledged war.