U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called senior officials in India and Pakistan in an effort to defuse the crisis that followed last week’s deadly attack in Kashmir, the State Department said.

Pakistan is bracing for Indian military action before Thursday night, officials warned, but cautioned that neither side would benefit from a return to war.

Pakistan's government has said it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon after days of escalating tensions.