Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter|

Pakistan has launched missile strikes into Iran, killing nine people on Thursday in response to Iranian airstrikes in Pakistan on Tuesday.

Pakistan had targeted “hideouts used by terrorist organizations namely Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF)” in an intelligence-based operation” on Thursday, said ISPR, the Inter-Services Public Relations of Pakistan’s military wing.

Pakistan's military described using "killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and standoff weapons" in the attack. 

Pakistan’s attack on Iran came two days after Iran launched unprecedented missile and drone attacks on Pakistan’s territory, on what it said were directed at ‘Jaish al-Adl’, the bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group in the restive Baluchistan province, prompting Pakistan to recall its ambassador to Iran and suspended all planned high-level bilateral visits.

Pakistan strikes on Iran territory were the first external land attack since Saddam Hussein's forces invaded in the 1980s - launching a brutal eight-year war.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said its strikes around the Iranian city of Saravan had come in light of "credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities" and added that it "fully respects" Iran's "sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Iran's foreign ministry said on Thursday, “it was committed to good neighborly relations with Pakistan, but called on Islamabad to prevent the establishment of "terrorist bases" on its soil.

Pakistan foreign ministry said, "the sole objective of today's act was in pursuit of Pakistan's own security and national interest, which is paramount and cannot be compromised."

The unprecedented attacks by both Pakistan and Iran on either side is raising tensions between the two neighboring countries.

The two countries have maintained cordial relations over the decades. “Notably, barring a few irritants, there is no major dispute between the two countries.’ said Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, the former foreign secretary of Pakistan reported by the Dawn News. 

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the country's former foreign minister told the BBC, “He was surprised at the attack because Iran's foreign minister met with Pakistan's acting prime minister on "the day they violated the sovereignty of our country".

"It would be a mistake" for a country to think Pakistan can't respond to violations, and says it sends a "clear message that Pakistan has both the will and ability to respond" Bilawal added.

China, Russia, Turkey, the EU, Taliban government in Afghanistan have called on both sides to avoid escalation and show “maximum restraint”.