Subhechcha Ganguly 
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a high-level call with Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, on May 9, urging restraint as military tensions between India and Pakistan sharply escalated. The conversation took place just hours before Pakistan launched airstrikes on Indian territory, an operation dubbed Bunyan Ul Marsoos by Pakistani media.
Rubio’s outreach followed a similar call with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar a day earlier, in which he also appealed for calm and dialogue between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of State confirmed Rubio’s conversation with Gen. Munir, stating: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.”
The latest military escalation began after Pakistan launched coordinated drone and missile attacks on 26 Indian locations in response to India’s earlier Operation Sindoor. In retaliation, India struck three major Pakistani airbases — Nur Khan, Murid, and Rafiqui — overnight.
As tensions mount, international leaders including those from the G7 have urged both nations to exercise restraint and prioritize diplomacy to prevent further destabilization in the region.
