On 15 October 2025, Kabul was rocked by twin drone strikes that targeted a residential home and a bustling market, killing at least five civilians and injuring dozens more.

The Afghan Taliban government immediately blamed Pakistan for the attack, denouncing it as a blatant violation of Afghan airspace and sovereignty, especially as it occurred mere hours before a scheduled 48-hour ceasefire.

The bombing represented a major escalation in bilateral tensions, symbolizing the collapse of previously tacit restraints that had long prevented such direct targeting of urban centers.

This strike marked a critical shift in Pakistan’s military strategy. Whereas previous kinetic operations were largely confined to remote tribal areas or contested border regions along the Durand Line, the decision to strike within Kabul itself sent a message of unambiguous intent.

Pakistan, facing rising domestic pressure over escalating attacks by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), appeared to have concluded that symbolic restraint no longer served its strategic interests.