India and Pakistan step up military strikes amid calls to de-escalate
Highlights:
- Both sides carry out strikes and counter-strikes
- Marco Rubio calls on both sides for de-escalation and direct talks
- Pakistan minister denies calling meeting of nuclear authority
- 5 civilians killed in Pakistan attacks in Jammu of Indian Kashmir
Pakistan and India launched strikes and counter-strikes against each other's military installations on Saturday, prompting US calls for the nuclear-armed neighbours to begin talks and defuse their escalating conflict, the most intense since 1999.
Fears that the countries' nuclear arsenals might come into play spiked when the Pakistan military said a top military and civil body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet, but the defence minister later said no such meeting was scheduled.
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Officials from both sides showed a willingness for now to take a step back following the day's exchanges.
Pakistan's foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, told local television that if India stops here, then "we will consider to stop here".
The Indian military said regarding Pakistan's military attacks on Saturday that "all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately".
Analysts and diplomats have long feared that conflict between the rivals could escalate into the use of nuclear weapons, in one of the world's most dangerous and most populated nuclear flashpoint regions. Unlike India, Pakistan does not have a no-first-use doctrine.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif played down any immediate nuclear threat, calling it a "very distant possibility".
"We shouldn't even discuss it in the immediate context," he told ARY TV. "Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down. No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled."
Pakistan's information minister did not respond to a request for comment and the military said it had no immediate comment.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir and India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Saturday, urging both sides to de-escalate and "re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation".
"India's approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so," Jaishankar said on X after the call with Rubio.
Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told a press conference India was responding to moves by Pakistani forces but would show restraint if Pakistan did so as well.
"The Pakistan military has been observed to be moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation," she said.
"Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military," she said.
Strikes, counter-strikes
As tensions remain high, residents across Pakistan and India have rushed to stockpile food and other essential supplies, while families living near the border have fled to safer areas. Indian authorities have installed sirens in high-rise buildings in New Delhi, some 650 kilometres (400 miles) from the border.
Early on Saturday, Pakistan said it had targeted multiple bases in India, including a missile storage site in India's north, in response to prior attacks by the Indian military.
India said there was limited damage to equipment and personnel at four air force stations. The military said there were several high-speed missile attacks on air bases in Punjab state and that India had responded to the attacks.
Five civilians were killed in the attacks in the Jammu region of Indian Kashmir, regional police said. Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part.
Blasts rang out across Indian Kashmir and the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in neighbouring Punjab until early morning on Saturday. Jammu streets were empty hours after loud blasts were heard and projectiles were seen flying across the city sky.
"Jammu city has never been hit before. Never thought we will be hit like this," said 60-year-old Rajeev Gupta, whose brother was wounded by a shell.
Pakistan said that, before its offensive, India had fired missiles at three air bases, including one close to the capital, Islamabad, but Pakistani air defences intercepted most of them.
Locked in a longstanding dispute over Kashmir, the two countries have engaged in daily clashes since Wednesday when India launched strikes inside Pakistan on what it called "terrorist infrastructure". Pakistan vowed to retaliate.
Pakistan's information minister said in a post on X that Saturday's military operation was named "Operation Bunyanun Marsoos". The term is taken from the Koran and means a firm, united structure.
India has said its strikes on Wednesday, which started the latest round of clashes that have left more than 50 people dead in both countries, were in retaliation for a deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month.
Pakistan denied India's accusations that it was involved in the tourist attack. Since Wednesday, the two countries have exchanged cross-border fire and shelling, and sent drones and missiles into each other's airspace.
Despite growing Western calls for peace, defence experts said the opposite seemed to be happening.
"Operations moving to next level - free use of missiles and drones by both sides," said Pravin Sawhney, a defence author and former Indian Army officer. "And reports that Pakistan Army is moving troops forward. Not good indications of what lies ahead!"
