Marco Rubio offers US mediation to resolve conflict between India and Pakistan

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered US mediation in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and India while speaking separately with his counterparts in both countries, according to State Department readouts, reports CNN. Rubio spoke with India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in separate calls, during which he "emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation," according to the readouts. He also spoke earlier with Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, during which he "continued to urge both parties to find ways" to de-escalate.

The secretary of state offered US help to mediate "in order to avoid future conflicts," the readout said.   This is the first such offer of US assistance mentioned in readouts of his calls with Pakistani or Indian officials.

Pakistan's foreign minister said Saturday that if India stops its escalatory actions, so will Islamabad. "If there is an iota of sanity, India will stop and if they stop, so will we," Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on camera while speaking with a local TV station.

His comments come after India and Pakistan launched a fresh round of military operations on each other on Saturday and accused each other of taking escalatory steps. India says it "effectively countered and responded" to Pakistan's military operation early Saturday.

Pakistan "targeted civilian areas and military infrastructure," including medical and educational buildings in India-administered Kashmir, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh alleged, during a media briefing in New Delhi alongside other senior officials.

"Air intrusions and several harassment attacks were attempted" at more than 26 locations along India's international border and the de facto border dividing Kasmhir between Indian and Pakistani control, Singh said.

Pakistan's military "also resorted to air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy caliber weapons" along the disputed border in Kashmir, Singh said. She added Pakistan used a high-speed missile to target an air base in Punjab state, inside India's undisputed borders.

The Indian army "responded effectively," causing "extensive damage" to Pakistan army infrastructure. Singh said the Indian side sustained "limited damage."

Pakistan's military "has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation," the Indian commander said. "Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately."