Iran struck Pakistan with missiles and drones as the 2 countries held a joint naval exercise

Iran’s missile and drone attack on neighboring Pakistan earlier this week came as the two countries reportedly held a joint naval exercise in the Persian Gulf.

Iran was quick to claim that Pakistani citizens were not targeted in the attack, with its foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, saying during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday that Iran had targeted “Iranian terrorists present on Pakistani soil.”

“We targeted Jaish al-Adl, not Pakistani citizens,” Amirabdollahian said, per the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s state news agency.

“We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan, but we won’t allow Iran’s security to be compromised,” he added.

Pakistan warned of “serious consequences” for the strikes, which it said killed two children and injured three others.

While Iran was attacking Pakistan from the air, the two nations held joint military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.

The IRNA reported on Tuesday that officers from the Iranian Navy had carried out tactical maneuvers and communications practice with the Pakistani Navy.

The report said that both nations had deployed missile launchers and warships for the exercise.

Iran also hit Iraq and Syria with a series of airstrikes earlier this week as the conflicts in the Middle East continue to escalate.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted an “Israeli spy base” in Iraq and ISIS positions in Syria, per the IRNA.

Responding to the news, Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammadreza Ashtiani told reporters on Wednesday that Iran would not be limited in its defense of the Islamic republic.

“It doesn’t matter to us. We will react from any area that threatens Iran,” said the minister.

Read the original article on Business Insider