Amid persistent speculation over whether India struck Pakistan’s alleged nuclear-linked facility at Kirana Hills during Operation Sindoor, Indian Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor on Wednesday firmly denied the claims, stating that the Indian armed forces “did nothing” of the sort and strictly targeted terror and military installations.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 lives. Conducted by India’s tri-services, the operation focused on dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Government sources had earlier stated that the strikes resulted in the elimination of more than 100 terrorists.
In the days following the operation, tensions escalated as Pakistan attempted retaliatory actions, prompting countermeasures by Indian forces. On May 10, Pakistan’s military initiated contact with its Indian counterpart, leading to a ceasefire understanding between the two countries.
Soon after the strikes, speculation intensified across social media platforms and certain foreign outlets, suggesting that India had targeted Mushaf Airbase in Sargodha — a site some reports claimed was associated with underground nuclear storage facilities near Kirana Hills.
However, Indian defence officials have consistently refuted these assertions. Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti had earlier addressed the issue during a press briefing, remarking, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation. We did not know about it. And we have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.”
Reiterating the official position, Air Marshal Kapoor dismissed circulating videos and claims linking the IAF to any strike in the Kirana Hills region.
“We attacked terror infrastructure and several of their military installations. This is absolutely true,” Kapoor said. “But these videos of Kirana Hills were presented by their people; they made them; we did nothing.”
He further emphasised the uncertainty surrounding the visuals being shared online. “Whether we did something, or whether the explosion was caused by an insurgency there, or by what weapon, we don’t know about all this. We only struck terror and military installations,” he added.
Kirana Hills, located in Pakistan’s Sargodha district, is a rocky mountain range under the administrative control of Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence. Locally known as the “Black Mountains” due to its brownish terrain, the range lies between Rabwah and the city of Sargodha and has long been the subject of military-related speculation.
Despite repeated clarifications from Indian authorities, claims regarding alleged strikes on sensitive nuclear-linked locations continue to circulate, largely driven by unverified social media content.
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