US State Department responds to escalation between India and Pakistan

According to the spokesperson of the US State Department, Washington has reached out to New Delhi and Islamabad "regarding the Kashmir situation, India, and Pakistan," urging them "not to escalate the situation."

Bruce mentioned that "the Secretary expects to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow."

" He is encouraging other national leaders, other foreign ministers, to also reach out to the countries on this issue," the spokesperson added.

She also shared that "every day action is being taken, in this case the Secretary speaking directly to his counterparts in India and Pakistan, and we’ll – we expect certainly the impact he’s usually had with the individuals he’s spoken with and certainly with President Trump’s leadership, India and Pakistan having those conversations."

The US State Department representative emphasized that "it's very important for them."

Furthermore, Bruce assured that Washington is closely monitoring the developments in the region and maintains communication with the governments of India and Pakistan "not just at the foreign minister level, certainly, but at multiple levels."

"We, of course, are encouraging all parties to work together for a responsible solution. The world is watching this," said the spokesperson.

India-Pakistan escalation

On April 22, militants in the Indian region of Kashmir attacked tourists. The attack resulted in the deaths of about twenty people. According to Western media, witnesses reported that the terrorists killed only those who practiced Hinduism.

Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, condemned the horrific attack in Pahalgam. The Ukrainian side "strongly condemns the terrible attack."

Meanwhile, India blamed Pakistan for orchestrating the attack. Islamabad denies the accusations of involvement and asserts that it does not support the militants who attacked the tourists.

India temporarily withdrew from the water-sharing agreement with Islamabad. According to media reports, India might close its airspace to Pakistan due to the attack and is preparing to ban Pakistani ships from entering its ports. Both countries have reinforced their military forces along their borders.

On April 28, Pakistan's Defense Minister stated that the country had made strategic decisions after the latest conflict with India, including military reinforcement. On the same day, Pakistan's Ministry of Defense said that a war with India could begin within 2-4 days.

On April 29, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted the army "full operational freedom to make decisions regarding methods, targets, and timelines for responding" to Pakistan for the Kashmir attack.

Late on April 29, Pakistan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, revealed "reliable" intelligence suggesting that India is preparing for military actions against Pakistan "within the next 24-36 hours."