Pakistan, India suggest possible de-escalation amid both countries' missile strikes
Pakistan s foreign minister revealed Saturday his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped its attacks after India stated it sought non-escalation if Pakistan agreed to do the same Both countries traded strikes Saturday during the conflict sparked by a massacre last month which India attributes to Pakistan Ishaq Dar Pakistan's foreign minister warned that our response will follow if India launched any strikes Dar stated Pakistan s Geo News that he also delivered his message to U S Secretary of State Marco Rubio who contacted him after the top U S diplomat spoke to India's bureaucrats PAKISTAN SAYS IT HAS STRUCK MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE INDIA IN SERIES OF NEW ATTACKS We responded because our patience had reached its limit If they stop here we will also consider stopping Dar explained Rubio spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar stressing that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce explained Saturday adding that the secretary offered U S patronage to facilitate productive discussion India revealed it targeted Pakistan's air bases after Islamabad fired several missiles at military and civilian infrastructure in India's Punjab state early Saturday Pakistan earlier announced it had intercepted bulk missiles and that it was carrying out retaliatory strikes Indian Col Sofiya Qureshi explained at a news conference in New Delhi that Pakistan had targeted physical condition facilities and schools at three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions she mentioned Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated India was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocated But she revealed Pakistani ground forces were seen moving toward forward areas indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness she commented VANCE SAYS INDIA-PAKISTAN CONFLICT 'NONE OF OUR BUSINESS' AS TRUMP OFFERS US HELPSingh revealed India's forces carried out precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions which included technical infrastructure command and control centers radar locations and weapon storage areas to ensure minimum collateral damage All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately Singh announced The Pakistani military announced it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in the Indian cities of Pathankot and Udhampur Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif announced the country's air force assets were safe after India's strikes The Associated Press contributed to this statement
