Was Kirana Hills targeted? Satellite Imagery Sparks Fresh Speculation Months After Operation Sindoor

The impact location of India's strike on Kirana Hills in May 2025. (Photo: @detresfa_/x)

Fresh satellite images analysed by a leading geo-intelligence expert have reignited speculation over whether Kirana Hills, a highly sensitive facility linked to Pakistan’s nuclear programme, was targeted during India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025.

Imagery update from Google Earth of the Sargodha region, Pakistan, captured in June 2025, shows -

1 - the impact location of India's strike on Kirana Hills in May 2025
2 - repaired runways at Sargodha airbase post India's strikes in May 2025 pic.twitter.com/BLOXYB9fKP

— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) July 18, 2025

Geo-intelligence expert Damien Symon shared two images on X. The first depicts Kirana Hills, marked with “ammunition impact marks” and “sentry posts,” along with visible evidence of damage. The second shows the Sargodha airbase a few days after the attacks, highlighting repairs to runway sections where missiles had reportedly created craters.

Kirana Hills

Kirana Hills is a highly sensitive military area under the jurisdiction of Pakistan's Ministry of Defence. It is widely believed to be a vital centre linked to Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.

India's Stance

India has denied targeting the nuclear facility at Kirana Hills. After the May ceasefire, Air Marshal AK Bharti stated that the armed forces neither targeted Kirana Hills nor knew of any nuclear installation at the site.

When asked if India hit Kirana Hills, Air Marshal AK Bharti said, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses a nuclear installation; we did not know about it. We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there,” Air Marshal Bharti said.

Pahalgam  Terror Attack To Operation Sindoor

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7,  in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

Under Operation Sindoor, Indian armed forces launched precision strikes on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists.

A ceasefire was announced between the two countries on May 10, after the Pakistani DGMO requested it during talks with his Indian counterpart.

US Designates TRF As Foreign Terrorist Organisation

On Thursday, the United States designated The Resistance Front (TRF)—a proxy outfit of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the group behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack—as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

US Labels Pahalgam Incident as Deadliest Attack Since 2008

The US also described the Pahalgam incident as the "deadliest attack" on India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks perpetrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba.

China Condemns Pahalgam Attack

Following the US statement, China condemned the April 22 attack in Pahalgam and called for greater regional cooperation to combat terrorism and ensure stability.

"China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22. China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.