U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed concern over rising tensions between India and Pakistan, urging a swift de-escalation following Indian missile strikes across the border into Pakistani territory.
Speaking at a White House event, Trump noted the long history of conflict between the two South Asian nations and called for a peaceful resolution.
“They’ve been fighting for many, many decades,” he said. “I just hope it ends very quickly.”
The Indian strikes, according to New Delhi, were aimed at militant group hideouts believed to be responsible for a deadly attack in April in the disputed region of Kashmir that claimed the lives of at least 26 civilians. In response, Pakistan’s military reported that the Indian missile attacks had killed eight people and wounded 33 others.
In retaliation, Pakistani shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir reportedly killed at least three civilians, escalating fears of a broader conflict in the volatile region.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in, stating that the Biden administration was closely monitoring the situation. “I echo President Trump’s comments that this hopefully ends quickly,” Rubio said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), adding that diplomatic efforts to engage both sides were underway.
India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, have fought three major wars since gaining independence from British rule in 1947, with the contested Kashmir region at the center of much of the hostility. The two countries narrowly avoided a fourth war in recent years, and tensions remain high.
The international community continues to watch developments closely, amid concerns that renewed violence could further destabilize an already fragile region.
