As India, who sent a barrier of Israeli-made drones in several cities in Pakistan on Thursday, international and regional players have been actively involved in the two nuclear armed neighbors in an attempt to seek shell and avoid a potentially wider conflict.

Unlike the previous round with military standoffs, the current phase seems to have set the region on an unclassified territory where any wrong calculation can lead to a major disaster, people who are familiar with backchannel diplomacy said.

Sources said the United States and Saudi Arabia emerged as two most important interlocutors between Pakistan and India. These efforts were more visible on Thursday. While Saudi Arabia sent his Deputy Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir to New Delhi on an unannounced visit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and later called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

A reading of the state department said secretary Rubio and the Saudi Foreign Minister discussed regional security issues, financial commitment and efforts to step down tension between India and Pakistan. It would not give additional details.

The United States works with Saudi Arabia to prevent further escalation between Pakistan and India. Saudi Arabia has a long -term relationship with Pakistan and has developed close ties with India in recent years.

Given Saudi Arabia’s geostrategic and economic interests, escalation in tensions, leading to a broader conflict between India and Pakistan, will harm its interests.

According to the sources, Pakistan the Saudi and American interlocutors told Islamabad never wanted escalation in tension. It accused the square New Delhi of the current crisis. It is believed that Pakistan told these international players that the country wanted the international community to condemn Indian missile attacks aimed at innocent civilians.

Pakistan also informed them that India, under the pretext of Pahagam -attack, was trying to move away from the Indus Waters Treaty, a water sharing agreement that survived wars and other stages of tension between the two countries.

The sources said Pakistan asked both the United States and Saudi Arabia that India has to repair its ways and will have to turn his decision to keep the treaty in monkey.

These international diplomatic efforts at least led to the opening of direct communication channel between Pakistan and India at the level of national security advisers. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday confirmed that the Pakistani NSA General Asim Malik, who happened to be the ISI commander, was in contact with his Indian colleague Ajit Doval. The Director General of Military Operations was also in contact through their hotline.

The United States and Saudi Arabia persuaded both sides to at least talk to each other, even in times of crisis.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s office said the prime minister told Secretary Rubio that Pakistan is strongly condemning India’s missile and drone strikes, resulting in the death of 31 civilians, injuries to 57 others and damaging civil infrastructure. India’s attack had violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while seriously broke peace and stability in South Asia, he added.

The Prime Minister confirmed Pakistan’s regular decision to defend his sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs. He noted that the people of Pakistan were furious at India’s unprovoked acts of war, and emphasized that Pakistan reserved the right to act in self-defense in accordance with article-51 in the UN Charter.

The prime minister appreciated President Trump’s concern about the current security situation in South Asia.

Secretary Rubio noted that the United States was closely following the situation in South Asia as it was obliged to promote peace and stability in the region. To this end, he emphasized the need for both Pakistan and India to work closely to step down the situation.

In Washington, State Secretary Marco Rubio De-Scaling and expressed support for direct dialogue in separate calls with the Indian Minister of External Affairs

Subrahmanyam Jaisankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday, spokesman for US Secretary of State Tammy Bruce said.

Rubio, in both phone calls that took place before the latest blasts, “emphasized” the need for immediate shell, “Bruce said in readings of the calls.

“He expressed us support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and continued to encourage efforts to improve communication,” Bruce said.

Showing the delicate balancing act of Rubio’s diplomacy, the two spokesman for the Ministry of State, which was sent out within a minute apart, also included tailor -made messages to each page.

To Jaisankar, Rubio confirmed his commitment to working with India in the fight against terrorism, Bruce said.

He expressed grief over PM Shehbaz for the reported loss of civilian life in the current conflict between the two neighboring countries, while also calling on Pakistan to take steps to end support for terrorist groups, she said.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone call with the European Union’s high representative of foreign affairs and security policy/vice president of the Commission (HR/VP), Kaja Kallas at the latter initiative.

The two leaders had also previously discussed the regional situation on May 2, 2025, said a press release of the foreign offices, as spokesman for foreign offices.

During the call, the deputy thanked Kallas for EU support and solidarity with Pakistan in these difficult times.

He strongly condemned India’s obvious act of war, which violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and danger of regional peace and stability.

DPM/FM rejected India’s baseless claims to target the terrorist infrastructure. He reiterated that there was no credible evidence connecting Pakistan with the Pahaldam attack.

He added that Pakistan reserved the right to respond appropriately at a time and place of its election, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and as laid down in international law.

HR/VP Kallas expressed heartfelt compassion for the loss of civilian life and expanded her sympathy to the victims’ families. She reiterated that both sides should exercise full restraint and pursue dialogue and diplomacy.