Satellite imagery captured in June 2025 appears to show a missile impact on Pakistan’s Kirana Hills, located near the Sargodha region, part of the area that hosts nuclear-related infrastructure. Geo‑intelligence analyst Damien Symon, interpreting Google Earth visuals, identified a distinct impact mark on the hillside and fresh runway repairs at Sargodha’s Mushaf airbase—indicating potential precision strikes by the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor.
Operation Sindoor, initiated on 9–10 May, was launched after the Pahalgam terror attack. India deployed BrahMos cruise missiles and air-launched precision ordnance against key Pakistani military installations, targeting 11 airbases across Punjab, Sindh and Azad Kashmir. Satellite analysis by The Washington Post and others confirmed structural damage at six airfields—runways, hangars and mobile command units—marking the most extensive Indian air campaign since 1971.
The Kirana Hills site is reputed to hold underground weapon storage, radar systems and tunnels, with subcritical nuclear tests reportedly conducted in the 1980s. Symon clarified the impact appeared to be superficial, not breaching underground tunnels: “it’s merely one side of a hill… must’ve been a warning attack”. That assessment suggests the strike was symbolic, signalling capability rather than inflicting major damage.
Despite evidence, India has consistently denied targeting Kirana Hills. At a press briefing on 12 May, Air Marshal AK Bharti stated, “We have not attacked Kirana Hills” and joked about being unaware of its nuclear links. The contradictory satellite evidence—impact crater plus rapid runway repairs at Mushaf—raises questions about the accuracy of official statements.
Pakistan has not formally acknowledged any strike on Kirana Hills. However, indicators such as flight restrictions and operational disruptions at the Mushaf airbase, combined with visible repair work, are being viewed as implicit confirmation of damage. Mushaf’s strategic status is underscored by its hosting of advanced fighter aircraft including F‑16s, JF‑17s and J‑10s.
While Pakistan’s military spokesman emphasised interception of most Indian missiles—claiming only a few penetrated deep airbases—the extent of damage varied. For instance, Nur Khan airbase near Islamabad sustained limited damage to refuelling hangars and control centres, according to Reuters and geo‑intelligence assessments.
Symon also probed Pakistani assertions that India had struck India’s Adampur base and destroyed an S‑400 air defence system. His March 2025 satellite review disproved those claims, showing routine MiG‑29 maintenance; Prime Minister Modi later appeared at Adampur standing beside an intact S‑400 battery.
Analysts interpret the Kirana Hills imagery as indicative of a calibrated message rather than a full-scale nuclear strike. Christopher Clary of the Stimson Center described the air campaign as focused, measured and part of a broader strategy to degrade Pakistan’s air defence without triggering wider escalation.
Nevertheless, the emergence of this satellite evidence adds a new dimension to the Operation Sindoor narrative. It challenges New Delhi’s public stance, underscores the utility of geo-spatial analysis in modern warfare, and complicates the already tense India‑Pakistan dynamics. The unfolding debate continues both on the ground and through open‑source intelligence channels.
Government Signals Openness to ‘Operation Sindoor’ Debate 