Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed on February 21, 2026, at approximately 9:25 PM UTC that its forces conducted intelligence-based airstrikes targeting seven terrorist camps and hideouts of Fitna al Khwarij (FAK), Pakistani Taliban affiliates, and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, in response to recent suicide bombings in Pakistan including one in Bannu today. Local sources reported additional explosions and jets over Afghanistan between 9:15 PM and 9:45 PM UTC, per X posts from @Irves_Watch and @Mohsin_o2. The official press release stated Pakistan has conclusive evidence linking the attacks, claimed by Afghanistan-based militants, to handlers in Afghanistan, following the Afghan Taliban's failure to act despite repeated urgings. Pakistan emphasized citizen safety as its top priority in launching the precise retributive strikes. This confirmation follows unverified local reports of explosions in Paktika and other areas during prior periods from 7:15 PM UTC, as previously noted by @zarrar_11PK, @khorasandiary, and TOLOnews. Visuals of explosions continue to be uploaded by locals in Afghanistan, according to @Irves_Watch. Pakistan reiterated expectations for the Afghan government to deny its territory to terrorists per Doha Agreement commitments and urged international community involvement. No official verification from Afghanistan has been reported during this 30-minute window. The strikes build on earlier warnings from Pakistan's ISPR regarding responses to attacks from Afghan soil, including the Bannu bombing. Ongoing reports of aircraft activity align with footage shared in previous windows, though casualty figures remain unconfirmed by official channels.
