Pakistan, India suggest possible de-escalation amid both countries' missile strikes

Pakistan s foreign minister announced Saturday his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped its attacks after India noted 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 communicated 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 administrators 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 noted 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 announced Saturday adding that the secretary offered U S sponsorship to facilitate productive discussion India stated 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 declared it had intercepted the majority missiles and that it was carrying out retaliatory strikes Indian Col Sofiya Qureshi noted at a news conference in New Delhi that Pakistan had targeted fitness facilities and schools at three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions she reported Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated India was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocated But she reported 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 disclosed VANCE SAYS INDIA-PAKISTAN CONFLICT 'NONE OF OUR BUSINESS' AS TRUMP OFFERS US HELPSingh disclosed 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 declared The Pakistani military noted 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 mentioned the country's air force assets were safe after India's strikes The Associated Press contributed to this assessment