(This analytical story was published before US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire)
India and Pakistan both seemed to signal readiness to de-escalate after a night of heightened attacks on India's western border, even though each put the onus of such de-escalation on the other.
Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said Islamabad will consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks, but added that its military is operating on the defensive and taking minimum action.
Dar's statement, echoed by another minister, came as the Indian and Pakistani militaries targeted each other's installations using missiles in the last more than 12 hours, further escalating the already tense conflict situation.
“Pakistan will consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks. However, if India launches any further strikes our response will follow,” Dar said.
Pakistan is operating on the defensive, he told Geo News: “Many more actions can be taken, and we are ready for that, but this is the minimum action being taken just now, which will be continued for a while.”
“This operation that we started today will all end in some way. It all depends on what India wants,” he reiterated.
Asked by BBC if Pakistan will de-escalate, Pakistan information minister Atta Tarar said: “It is in the hands of India... If India de-escalates (we will follow).”
India also seemed to hold out a window to de-escalate.
“The Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military,” Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said at the media briefing Saturday morning.
Just before that, she pointed out that Pakistan was moving troops to forward bases in a signal of intent to further escalate.
At least two foreign news agencies, Bloomberg and AP, picked up that one line from the press briefing.
India responded on Saturday to the Pakistani military's “provocative” and “escalatory” actions in a measured way and Islamabad is resorting to a wanton campaign of targeting innocent people and civilian infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said at the briefing.
Earlier on Saturday, US secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir as well as external affairs minister S. Jaishankar.
The US urged both parties to de-escalate, according to the state department.
The Chinese foreign ministry also put out a statement urging peace.
“We strongly urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, exercise calm and restraint, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means, and refrain from any action that could further escalate tensions,” it said.