US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir on Friday and urged both Pakistan and India to find ways to de-escalate, a US Department Of State spokesperson said.

Rubio also offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, the spokesperson said.

Pakistan said it launched a military operation against India early on Saturday, targeting multiple bases including a missile storage site in northern India as the neighbours extended their worst fighting in nearly three decades.