Does Ward trigger if a spell targets a permanent but the spell is countered before it resolves?

Ward triggers the moment a permanent with Ward becomes the target of a spell or ability controlled by an opponent (CR 702.20b). This is a triggered ability that goes on the stack on top of whatever caused it to trigger. So Ward does trigger — the question is what happens next.

If the original spell is countered by another effect before Ward's trigger even resolves, the Ward trigger is still on the stack and will still resolve. However, when Ward's trigger resolves, it checks whether the opponent paid the Ward cost. If they didn't pay it, Ward counters the spell — but the spell is already gone (already countered). Countering an already-countered spell has no additional effect (CR 608.2b, CR 701.5a). No meaningful game action occurs from Ward's resolution in that case.

Conversely, if Ward triggers and its trigger resolves first (before the spell is otherwise dealt with), and the opponent doesn't pay the Ward cost, Ward will counter the spell at that point. The spell never gets a chance to be countered by something else afterward because it's already off the stack.

Example: Your opponent casts Doom Blade targeting your Skrelv's Hive (which has Ward 2). Ward triggers. In response to Ward's trigger, a third player casts Counterspell on Doom Blade, countering it. Ward's trigger then resolves, but Doom Blade is already gone — Ward's attempted counter does nothing relevant.

In summary, Ward always triggers when its permanent is targeted, but if the offending spell is countered before Ward's trigger resolves, paying or not paying the Ward cost becomes moot — the spell is already nullified (CR 702.20b, CR 701.5a).