U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying he “hopes they can stop now” after a series of deadly cross‑border strikes.

“It’s so terrible,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I get along with both. I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out. … If I can do anything to help, I will be there.”

The plea follows India’s announcement of “Operation Sindoor,” in which New Delhi claimed to have struck “terrorist infrastructure” at nine locations inside Pakistan late Tuesday night. The Pakistani military said 31 people were killed and reported shooting down five Indian aircraft, vowing retaliation.

The flare‑up comes less than three weeks after an April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian‑administered Kashmir, that left 26 people dead. India blamed Pakistan‑based militants and vowed a “pre‑emptive” response, while Islamabad denied involvement and demanded an impartial investigation.

Both nuclear‑armed nations have traded artillery and air strikes since the Pahalgam attack, raising concerns of a broader conflict. Trump’s offer of mediation echoes past U.S. attempts to ease tensions on the subcontinent, but neither side has publicly indicated readiness for outside facilitation.

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