Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-not-thrilled-with-iran-but-undecided-on-attack" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that the United States will not step into the situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, while praising Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership and bilateral ties.&nbsp;Responding to a question about whether Washington would intervene in a possible conflict involving Pakistan, Trump said he has &ldquo;very good relations&rdquo; with the country.&nbsp;&ldquo;Well, I would, but I get along with Pakistan, as you know, very well &mdash; very, very well,&rdquo; he told reporters.&nbsp;The US president described Pakistan&rsquo;s prime minister and military leadership in positive terms, saying he has &ldquo;a lot of respect&rdquo; for them.&nbsp;&ldquo;You have a great prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif], you have a great general [Field Marshal Asim Munir] there, you have a great leader &mdash; two of the people that I really respect a lot,&rdquo; Trump said, adding that he believes Pakistan is &ldquo;doing terrifically well.&rdquo;&nbsp;His remarks came amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where security incidents have raised concerns about further escalation.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said late on Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-says-297-taliban-fighters-killed-in-afghanistan-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">297 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed</a>&nbsp;and more than 450 were injured in retaliatory military strikes across Afghanistan.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 471px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027449317087408548&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=485de7e742b2156c528f877ea42b0a2dc7039429&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>In a post on the social media platform X, Tarar said the action was carried out under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-says-297-taliban-fighters-killed-in-afghanistan-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Operation Ghazb lil Haq</a>&nbsp;and involved precision air and ground strikes at 29 locations in Afghanistan.&nbsp;The information minister said 89 Taliban check posts were destroyed, 18 captured, and 135 tanks and armed vehicles eliminated during the operation.

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press before boarding Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House for Texas in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Americas

Praises the Pakistan leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir; says he believes Pakistan is 'doing terrifically well.'

Trump says US will not intervene in Pakistan-Afghan conflict

ISLAMABAD: The United States has bolstered its military presence in the Middle East in recent days ahead of what Israeli media reports describe as &quot;preparations for a potential joint US-Israeli military campaign against Tehran.&quot;&nbsp; Israeli outlets, including The Times of Israel, cited security sources as saying the emerging plan would likely go beyond limited, symbolic strikes and instead involve coordinated American and Israeli action. Sources quoted in the reports indicated the operation could surpass the scale of the 12-day Israeli-led bombing campaign carried out last June, the operation the US later joined under the codename Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. According to Israeli reports, the confrontation could begin sooner than many anticipate and may be far broader in scope than previous escalations. US media echoes the sameIt is not only the Israeli media; the US media have also echoed similar reports about a potential campaign against Iran.&nbsp; CBS News was the first major American outlet to report on Wednesday that top national security officials have told President Donald&nbsp;Trump the military is ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday. CNN also reported on Thursday that the US military has been placed on high readiness to strike Iranian targets this weekend. Still, President Trump has not yet made a final call on authorizing military action. But one source cautioned that Trump has privately argued both for and against military action and has polled advisers and allies on the best course of action, CNN said. Military buildup and strategic postureOver the past week, US military assets in the Middle East have increased. Reports indicate deployments include aircraft&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-aircraft-carrier-located-near-iran-as-washington-increases-military-pressure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">carrier</a>&nbsp;strike groups, advanced fighter aircraft, aerial refueling tankers, and support units, a buildup described as one of the most significant in the region in years. The New York Post reported that President Trump is sending the USS Gerald R Ford, along with F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft and refuelling tankers, toward the region. The naval news outlet US Naval Institute reported that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and its strike group departed the Atlantic and were heading toward the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar. BBC Verify said on Tuesday it has tracked 12 US ships in the Middle East in recent weeks, including destroyers positioned in Bahrain, the eastern Mediterranean near the Souda Bay base, and the Red Sea. Iran&#39;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday posted on X, saying, &quot;The US President constantly says that the US has sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware&quot;. &quot;However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.&quot;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2023707826011378060&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4286%2F&sessionId=95318898e0030ebf9e8668c5941f779cfe26e718&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The USS Gerald R Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups, along with accompanying vessels, would provide both offensive and defensive capabilities if operations are authorized. CBS also reported that the Pentagon is temporarily relocating some US personnel from parts of the Middle East, primarily to Europe or back to the United States, as a precaution ahead of potential Iranian retaliation if military action proceeds. Diplomacy still in playDespite the heightened military posture, there has been no public confirmation from the White House or Pentagon of an imminent strike order. US officials&nbsp;have maintained that diplomatic engagement remains the preferred course. Indirect talks in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-us-hold-new-geneva-talks-as-khamenei-warns-of-sinking-us-warship" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Geneva</a>&nbsp;between US negotiators and Iranian representatives concluded this week, with Iranian officials saying progress was made on broad principles, though significant differences remain. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Wednesday that there are &ldquo;many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,&rdquo; but stressed that diplomacy remains President Trump&rsquo;s first option. &ldquo;Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with his administration,&rdquo; she said. As of Thursday, no formal declaration of military action had been issued by Washington, and the situation remains fluid.

STOCKSHOTS: World's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (AFP)

Middle East

The United States is increasing its military presence in the Middle East amid reports of a possible joint US-Israeli strike on Iran; media outlets are citing operational readiness, while President Trump has not yet officially authorized any action.

US builds up forces in Middle East as Israeli media report possible joint strike on Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Wednesday said the country &ldquo;confronts and eliminates the enemy openly, not from the shadows,&rdquo; while addressing the National Scholars and Sufi Saints Conference in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). &ldquo;We do not strike from the shadows; we confront and eliminate the enemy openly,&rdquo; he said, stressing that terrorism &ldquo;is not Pakistan&rsquo;s problem but India&rsquo;s.&rdquo; &ldquo;In the battle of truth, we achieved victory with the help of Allah,&rdquo; the field marshal added. Highlighting the role of religious leaders, he said the Ulema must &ldquo;keep the nation united&rdquo; and help broaden the country&rsquo;s vision. He warned that nations distancing themselves from learning risk internal division, stating: &ldquo;Any nation that abandons knowledge and the pen becomes vulnerable to discord and corruption.&rdquo; &ldquo;Honor and strength are not gained through division, but through hard work and knowledge,&rdquo; he emphasized. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also addressed the conference, echoing the field marshal&rsquo;s call for unity. In remarks shared on his official Facebook page, the prime minister said the &ldquo;entire world was astonished&rdquo; by Pakistan&rsquo;s victory over India, adding that friendly states consider it &ldquo;their own victory&rdquo; and are honoring Pakistan. &ldquo;It is our collective responsibility to defend the army that has sacrificed its blood for the defense of Pakistan and inflicted a defeat on the eternal enemy, one it will remember until the end of time,&rdquo; he said. PM Sharif said Pakistan&rsquo;s progress depends on national cohesion and continued sacrifice. &ldquo;Our elders migrated for this country and made countless sacrifices. The entire nation must stand united on national matters,&rdquo; he said. Commenting on economic recovery, he noted that Pakistan&rsquo;s economy is &ldquo;rapidly moving toward growth&rdquo; and credited joint political-military efforts with preventing bankruptcy. Warning that development and terrorism cannot be fought simultaneously, he said, &ldquo;If this country is to progress, eliminating terrorism is absolutely essential.&rdquo;

Security

In his address at the National Scholars and Sufi Saints Conference, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said that terrorism “is not Pakistan’s problem but India’s,” while emphasizing unity, knowledge, and defeating threats for national progress.

Articles tagged with "war"

Trump says US will not intervene in Pakistan-Afghan conflict

US builds up forces in Middle East as Israeli media report possible joint strike on Iran

Pakistan confronts enemies openly, not from shadows: CDF Munir

Trump says US will not intervene in Pakistan-Afghan conflict