U.S. pushes for de-escalation as India and Pakistan trade fire and accusations

Amna Nawaz:

Turning to the day's other headlines, tensions in South Asia are running high tonight after India and Pakistan each accused the other of firing at their military sites.

Geoff Bennett:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called leaders in both countries and pushed for what he called immediate de-escalation and direct dialogue. But, tonight, there is heavy shelling on both sides of the disputed border.

Our Nick Schifrin has more.

Nick Schifrin:

In the fog of war tonight, there are blackout air raid sirens, Indian air defense firing into the Kashmiri night sky, and long lines of people in India-administered Kashmir fleeing out of fear.

Today, India and Pakistan traded volleys and accusations. First, India accused Pakistan of a major attack.

Vyomika Singh, Wing Commander, Indian Air Force:

Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles.

Nick Schifrin:

But Pakistan insists it did not fire any missiles or drones.

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General, Pakistan Inter-Services Public Relations:

It is such a fantastic and cooked-up story.

Nick Schifrin:

But India and Pakistan did acknowledge Indian drone attacks across Pakistan against air defense systems in Lahore near India's border, Rawalpindi, where Pakistan's military is headquartered, and Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, where an Indian drone crashed into the home of Faizan Ali.

Faizan Ali, Karachi, Pakistan, Resident (through interpreter):

It hit my house and broke my rooftop. Everything became dark below. Everything is broken. There was dust everywhere.

Nick Schifrin:

The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought four major wars, three over the disputed territory of Kashmir, where in April in Pahalgam, gunmen killed more than two dozen mostly Hindu tourists. India blamed Pakistan, and overnight on Tuesday launched its most widespread aerial attack on Pakistan in half-a-century.

Pakistan once again today vowed to respond.

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry:

When Pakistan will strike…

(through interpreter):

… you and I don't need Indian media to tell us.

The whole world will come to know. The reverberations will be felt everywhere.

Nick Schifrin:

To which Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar today threaten escalation.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian Foreign Minister:

If there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response.

Nick Schifrin:

But already both sides are shelling across the de facto Kashmir border. In Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, authorities say at least a dozen have died. In Indian-administered Kashmir, villagers say at least 15 have been killed.

Malkeet Singh, Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir Resident (through interpreter): It is a terrible loss. We appeal to the government that there should be a cease-fire as soon as possible.

Nick Schifrin:

Neither side wants war, but, tonight, there's still fear of escalation, and the mood in cities near the border is darkening.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.