Tensions Escalate: Understanding the Iran-Pakistan Conflict

Iran and Pakistan engaged in missile strikes as part of efforts to disrupt violence by ethnic separatist groups, with Pakistan targeting Baloch separatists in Iran and Iran targeting an anti-Iranian Baloch group in Pakistan. The strikes are seen as more about each country's internal politics and struggles against ethnic insurgency than about wider conflicts in the Middle East. The Baloch people, a Sunni Muslim ethnic minority, have been oppressed by both countries, leading to separatist movements. The strikes also reflect Iran's desire to display its military capabilities and deter adversaries, while Pakistan seeks to de-escalate to manage its internal crises.