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.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to work with each other to de-escalate tensions after last week's Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Wednesday.