Explosion Hits Kabul Causing Damage and Casualties

Middle Eastern outlets focus on the fear and hardship faced by Afghan civilians as Pakistani warplanes bomb Kabul and Afghan forces trade fire with Pakistan. They report that Islamabad has spoken of ‘open war’ against hostile elements in Afghanistan, raising worries that ordinary Afghans will pay the price for clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan. They question whether Pakistan’s strikes and Afghanistan’s response will weaken militant groups or instead fuel more violence and displacement.

• •Pakistan’s late February 2026 bombing of Kabul caused panic among residents who still remember earlier wars.
• •Afghan families in Kabul describe children and elderly people suffering trauma from the sound of jets and explosions.
• •Islamabad’s description of its actions as ‘open war’ is seen as a warning that more raids could follow.
• •Taliban officials accuse Pakistan of killing civilians and demand international condemnation of the airstrikes.
• •Humanitarian groups fear that renewed fighting will disrupt aid deliveries and push more Afghans to flee their homes.