Blast in Islamabad after drone intercepted as tensions with Afghanistan escalate

According to initial reports, the explosion may have been linked to a drone strike allegedly launched from Afghanistan. While no casualties were reported, locals said the blast caused damage to surrounding infrastructure.

Some social media accounts citing senior Pakistani officials claimed that two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected near the Faizabad Interchange, a key junction connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s air defence systems reportedly shot down the drones.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨A loud blast has been reported in the I-8 sector of Islamabad. Local sources claim windows of several buildings shattered due to the impact. Eyewitness reaction: “Bomb gira hai bhai Islamabad mai.” More details awaited.<br>VC- Defence Squad <a href="https://t.co/A42YhOPfBj">pic.twitter.com/A42YhOPfBj</a></p>&mdash; INTEL-24 (@Tracking_Live) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tracking_Live/status/2032483015759446259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Following the incident, authorities temporarily shut down the airspace over Islamabad as a precautionary measure.

The development comes amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Earlier on Friday, Afghanistan’s defence ministry said it had carried out strikes on Pakistani military installations in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in retaliation for airstrikes launched by Islamabad a day earlier.

In a statement posted on X, the Afghanistan Ministry of National Defence said Afghan forces targeted strategic Pakistani military facilities, including the Kohat military fort and a war command centre along the Durand Line.

“During these strikes, the Kohat military fort was struck, while the war command centre located along the Durand Line, along with the office of the fort’s commander, was also precisely targeted,” the ministry said.

The ministry claimed that military installations, depots and residential quarters for soldiers were destroyed in the strike, resulting in significant human and material losses.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of carrying out fresh airstrikes across several Afghan provinces, including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia and Paktika, which he said caused civilian casualties.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan confirmed that at least four civilians were killed and 14 others injured in airstrikes in the Pul-e-Charkhi area of Kabul on Thursday night.

UNAMA said the victims included women and children and urged an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent further civilian deaths.

The mission also reported that since February 26, at least 75 civilians have been killed and 193 injured in Afghanistan amid the escalating cross-border violence.