Did India Strike Pakistan’s Nuclear Facility at Kirana Hills? IAF Responds

New Delhi: In the aftermath of India's precision strikes on terror camps and military installations in Pakistan, speculation has intensified on social media regarding a possible hit on the Kirana Hills a location believed to be part of Pakistan's nuclear infrastructure. 

Online accounts have shared alleged satellite images, maps, and videos pointing to a strike in the Sargodha district of Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Kirana Hills, a heavily fortified military zone under Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence, is thought to house reinforced underground tunnels that store components of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. 

Located just 20 kilometers from the Sargodha airbase and 75 kilometers from the Khushab nuclear plant, the area has long been considered strategically significant.

IAF Denies Any Strike on Nuclear Facilities

Addressing the swirling rumours during a tri-services briefing, Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of India's Air Operations, dismissed claims of an attack on Kirana Hills. Responding with a touch of sarcasm, Bharti quipped, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it,” before firmly stating, “We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.”

The clarification came amidst reports that the Indian Air Force had launched strikes on 11 military locations deep inside Pakistani territory in retaliation for the killing of 26 Indian citizens in Pahalgam on April 22.

India's Strategic Precision Strikes

India’s strikes, conducted on May 7 under "Operation Sindoor," targeted terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well as key military installations in mainland Pakistan, carefully avoiding civilian areas. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Air Force used air-launched precision weapons to hit targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Nur Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot.

Among these, the strike on Nur Khan airbase in Chaklala, near Rawalpindi — the nerve center of Pakistan's military establishment — stood out for its strategic significance. The base hosts Pakistan’s primary airlift capabilities and lies close to the Strategic Plans Division, which oversees Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.