Pakistan’s military said it has killed 274 Taliban and other armed group members in Afghanistan under an operation named “Ghazab-lil-Haq.” The announcement came from Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during a press briefing on Friday. He stated that Pakistan’s forces destroyed 73 Taliban military posts, captured 18, and destroyed 115 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery weapons.

The operation followed a deadly cross-border attack late Thursday night, when Afghan forces reportedly killed at least 55 Pakistani soldiers and captured several others at a post near the Durand Line in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was in retaliation for Pakistan’s February 21 airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, which killed more than 80 people.

Pakistan launched its counteroffensive at 3:45 a.m. Friday, conducting extensive airstrikes in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar as part of the ongoing operation.

Pakistan launched airstrikes early Friday on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktika in Afghanistan, prompting retaliatory attacks by the Taliban. Islamabad declared it was now in an 'open war' with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, while Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces were conducting large-scale operations along the Durand Line in response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes.

The United Nations expressed deep concern over escalating violence and urged both sides to uphold international law and protect civilians. Iran offered to mediate, reaffirming its support for dialogue between Kabul and Islamabad. Russia called for an end to cross-border attacks and emphasized diplomatic solutions. India condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes, while Turkey, Qatar, China, and the United Kingdom all pressed for de-escalation and dialogue. Pakistan’s defense minister blamed the Taliban for instability, asserting that the country’s patience had run out. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai vowed national unity in defending Afghanistan.

The continued fighting and international appeals highlight fears of a broader regional crisis if hostilities persist without diplomatic resolution.

India has issued a strong condemnation of Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in Afghanistan. On Friday, February 27, 2026, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India denounces Pakistan’s actions on Afghan soil. In a post on social media platform X, he said the attacks, carried out during the holy month of Ramadan, caused the deaths of many civilians, including women and children.

Reaffirming India’s stance on Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, Jaiswal accused Pakistan of shifting blame for its internal problems onto other countries. He described the airstrikes as part of that pattern and reiterated India’s unwavering support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence, and regional integrity.

According to the report, the strikes followed overnight attacks on Pakistani soldiers in several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In response, Pakistan launched air operations targeting Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. In a post on social media platform X, he called on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and to immediately halt all military operations.

Anwar emphasized that Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns must be addressed while also respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He stated that these two principles are not contradictory and can be reconciled through dialogue. His remarks have been viewed as a diplomatic appeal for regional stability amid the ongoing tensions.

The statement comes as regional actors continue to monitor the situation closely, with calls for diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

The world's largest US aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, has arrived off the coast of Israel as regional tensions rise over fears of a possible attack on Iran. Israel's Channel 12 reported the development on Friday, though the US military has not yet issued an official statement. The Anadolu Agency also confirmed the report.

According to the report, twenty US refueling aircraft landed in Israel on Thursday night. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said four KC-46A Pegasus refueling planes arrived at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. These moves are being viewed as part of a broader effort by the United States to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East amid growing concerns about potential conflict with Iran.

Analysts described the deployment as significant in light of the recent regional tensions, suggesting it underscores Washington's heightened readiness in the area.

Turkey has stepped up diplomatic efforts in response to rising tensions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. According to a Turkish diplomatic source cited by Reuters, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone conversations on Friday with his counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to discuss the latest developments. The talks were reportedly prompted by concerns over a possible deterioration in regional security.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry stated on social media that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Fidan about the current regional situation, focusing particularly on the growing strain between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The discussions come after renewed clashes along the border between the two neighboring countries.

Analysts view the increased diplomatic engagement by regional powers as an attempt to contain the situation. The involvement of Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia suggests that the issue is being closely monitored across the Muslim world, raising prospects for a multilateral initiative to ease tensions.

Pakistan has claimed that its airstrikes in Afghanistan, following a declaration of war against the country, have killed at least 228 Afghan soldiers and injured 314 others. The Pakistani military spokesperson said that 74 Afghan border posts were destroyed and 18 others captured during the operations.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan, however, reported a significantly lower toll, stating that eight of its soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in the attacks. According to Al Jazeera journalist Kamal Hyder reporting from Peshawar, heavy clashes continued along the border on Friday afternoon, with Pakistan conducting air raids while attacks were also coming from inside Afghanistan.

Both sides have reportedly suffered heavy losses, and the situation remains tense. Pakistan has announced that it will continue retaliatory strikes, signaling a possible escalation of the conflict.

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Defense Ministry announced that its forces carried out attacks across multiple areas of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the ministry’s statement, 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, and several others were captured alive during the operation. The statement also claimed that Afghan forces seized hundreds of light and heavy weapons and took control of two Pakistani army headquarters and 19 checkpoints.

The ministry reported that eight Afghan soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in the clashes. It said the operation was launched in response to recent airstrikes by the Pakistani government inside Afghan territory. The statement did not specify the exact locations or timing of the attacks.

The announcement marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with both sides trading claims of cross-border assaults. The situation has drawn regional attention as both countries accuse each other of violating sovereignty.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that the Afghan Taliban made a grave mistake by attacking Pakistan. In a post shared by the Interior Ministry on social media platform X, Naqvi condemned the targeting of civilians and stated that Pakistan’s armed forces had given an appropriate response to what he called an open act of aggression. He described the attackers as cowardly enemies who struck under the cover of darkness and vowed that Pakistan would not allow its national security to be compromised.

According to the report, the attack took place on Thursday, February 26, when Afghan forces targeted Pakistani military positions along the border. Afghan officials confirmed that several Pakistani soldiers were killed in the assault. In retaliation, Pakistan launched an operation named “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq,” during which airstrikes by the Pakistan Air Force reportedly killed at least 133 Afghan soldiers and injured around 200 others.

The escalating border violence marks a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighboring countries, with both sides reporting casualties and accusing each other of aggression.

Afghanistan’s government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in Kabul early Friday, just hours after Afghan forces reportedly crossed the border for an operation inside Pakistan. Afghan officials said at least three explosions were heard in the capital, though the exact locations and casualties remain unconfirmed. Mujahid also claimed that Pakistan targeted Kandahar and Paktia provinces. The developments have raised concerns that the Qatar-mediated ceasefire could be collapsing.

Earlier, Afghanistan said its cross-border operation was in response to a deadly Pakistani airstrike on Sunday that killed several people. Pakistan, however, maintained that its earlier strike targeted terrorist positions and dismissed Kabul’s claim of capturing military posts as “provocative.” Pakistani security sources told Geo News that their air force destroyed an ammunition depot in Nangarhar province, killing 133 Taliban members and injuring over 200 in retaliation for alleged border provocations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both countries to protect civilians and adhere to international law, while his spokesperson emphasized the need for intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply intensified along the border, with Pakistani security sources claiming that the Pakistan Air Force carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, destroying a major ammunition depot. A Pakistani government official said the strikes were in response to what Islamabad described as ‘provocative attacks’ from the Afghan side, resulting in the deaths of 133 Taliban government members and injuries to more than 200 others, according to Geo News.

Security sources said Pakistan launched ‘Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq’ after alleged border violations by Taliban forces. Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office on foreign media, stated that 72 Taliban fighters were killed and over 120 injured, with 16 Taliban posts destroyed and seven captured. He added that Pakistan’s positions remained intact and no Pakistani soldiers were killed or captured. Zaidi accused ‘Indian proxies’ of spreading misinformation about Pakistani losses.

The report noted that cross-border clashes and airstrikes have occurred repeatedly in recent months. Pakistan has accused militants of using Afghan territory to launch attacks, a claim the Taliban government denies. The escalating conflict has raised fresh concerns over regional security.

Afghanistan launched an attack targeting Pakistani military positions along the border, killing several Pakistani soldiers, according to Afghan officials. The assault took place on Thursday and was described as a response to recent Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktia provinces. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information stated on X that Afghan forces opened fire without provocation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and warned that a swift and effective response would follow.

An Afghan military corps media office reported that intense fighting began late Thursday night, describing it as retaliation for Pakistan’s recent air operations. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on X that Afghan forces carried out large-scale attacks on multiple Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line, claiming to have killed numerous soldiers, captured several others, and seized 15 outposts.

The cross-border violence follows Pakistan’s earlier strikes on Sunday that, according to the UN mission in Afghanistan, killed 13 civilians. Islamabad claimed those strikes killed 80 armed fighters, while Kabul said 18 people were killed, underscoring the conflicting narratives and rising tensions between the two neighbors.

The Indian Navy’s multinational maritime exercise ‘Milan 2026’ concluded on Wednesday in the Bay of Bengal after a week of operations. The large-scale drill involved 42 warships and submarines, 29 military aircraft, and naval units from 18 friendly countries. The closing ceremony was held aboard India’s indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant near the Visakhapatnam coast, under the theme ‘Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration.’

According to the Indian Navy, this year’s Milan exercise was the largest in its history, aimed at strengthening coordination, mutual understanding, and cooperation among participating navies. France, Germany, and the United States contributed maritime surveillance aircraft to the exercise. The initial ‘Harbour Phase’ featured bilateral meetings, an international maritime seminar, and expert-level discussions.

During the subsequent ‘Sea Phase,’ high-intensity operations were conducted, including integrated air defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, communication drills, and cross-deck flying operations. Live firing exercises used naval guns and anti-aircraft weapons. Indian vessels such as INS Vikrant, Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class frigates, and the diving support vessel INS Nistar took part in the joint missions.

The Palestinian group Hamas has alleged that Israeli military operations are continuing across the Gaza Strip despite the formation of a peace board. In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the ongoing attacks indicate disregard for mediation efforts and the board’s activities. He claimed that destruction and killings against Palestinians have not stopped, adding that although the nature of attacks has changed, their objective remains the same.

According to Hamas, assurances from guarantor countries to implement a ceasefire have not produced effective results. The group reported that since the ceasefire took effect, at least 650 Palestinians have been killed, including 198 children and 85 women, while 1,662 others were injured. Hamas further stated that since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed and around 172,000 injured, with over 8,000 still missing.

The organization also claimed that about 90 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed. Preliminary United Nations estimates suggest reconstruction of the enclave could require around 70 billion US dollars.

Russia has returned the bodies of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine, according to a Moscow official cited on Thursday. In exchange, Ukraine handed over the remains of 35 Russian soldiers. The exchange reportedly took place near Kyiv, as confirmed by Russian mediator Vladimir Medinsky in a social media post.

The report, carried by AFP from Moscow, marks another instance of body repatriation between the two sides amid the ongoing conflict. Such exchanges are typically coordinated through intermediaries to ensure the return of fallen soldiers to their respective countries.

No further details were provided about the process or the conditions under which the exchange occurred.