President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday the Afghan Taliban had "crossed a red line" by launching what the military called "rudimentary drones" against civilian targets in Pakistan.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday he has designated Afghanistan as a "State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention," demanding Taliban authorities release two Americans and commit to ending its "hostage diplomacy."

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has called on India to return to the “negotiating table,” while asserting that New Delhi and Kabul have only seen a “fraction” of Islamabad’s military capabilities.

 Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more Afghan military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight and into early Saturday, killing over 300 Afghan forces in dayslong border clashes, a government spokesman and officials said.

Pakistan launched air strikes on cities in neighbouring Afghanistan on Friday, in a major escalation after months of attacks and cross-border strikes along their porous frontier.

Pakistan information minister on Friday confirmed that three cities, all in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were targeted by Taliban drone attacks, claiming that no one was harmed.

Global powers have urged restraint as China, Russia, Iran and the United Nations pressed Pakistan and Afghanistan to immediately halt cross-border attacks and pursue diplomacy amid rising tensions.

Iran offered to help facilitate dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan after Islamabad declared the neighbours at "open war", carrying out air strikes on Kabul following border clashes.

Multiple explosions shook the Afghan capital, Kabul, and several other regions early Friday morning as Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged military strikes across their volatile border, accusing each other of escalating the conflict.

Defense Minister Asif has said his country is at “open war” with its western neighbor

Afghanistan has threatened retaliation after Pakistani airstrikes on its territory reportedly killed at least 18 people and left several others injured.

India has condemned Pakistan over its airstrikes in neighboring Afghanistan that reportedly killed at least 18 people and left several others injured. ❗️India 'strongly condemns'...