IAF Republic Day Video Sparks Fresh Speculation on Kirana Hills Strikes in Pakistan

A Republic Day video released by the Indian Air Force has reignited speculation over whether Indian precision strikes during Operation Sindoor may have extended to Pakistan’s Kirana Hills region, an area long believed to be linked to sensitive nuclear infrastructure.

The video, showcasing visuals of multiple targets destroyed during the operation, was shared as part of the armed forces’ Republic Day outreach. It featured strikes on key Pakistani airbases and installations, some of which analysts note are located close to strategic sites associated with Pakistan’s nuclear programme. The visuals have once again drawn attention to Kirana Hills, a heavily guarded zone in Punjab province that has featured prominently in defence discussions for decades.

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Officially, India has consistently denied targeting Kirana Hills. However, remarks made by the Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti, during a briefing last year continue to fuel speculation. Responding to a direct question on the issue days after Operation Sindoor, the senior officer dismissed the claim with visible irony, stating that India had no knowledge of nuclear installations at Kirana Hills and had not struck the site. The remark, delivered with a smirk, was widely interpreted as deliberately ambiguous, further amplifying debate.

Defence sources indicate that the Indian Air Force’s position has remained unchanged even after the release of the latest video. No additional clarification has been issued by authorities, allowing conjecture to persist within strategic and military circles.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians, most of them tourists. As part of the operation, India conducted precision strikes on nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, signalling a sharp escalation in counter-terror doctrine.

Pakistan responded with a wave of drone attacks, missile launches, and artillery shelling targeting Indian military and civilian areas. India retaliated by striking key Pakistani airbases, including the strategically significant Nur Khan airbase near Rawalpindi, located close to the headquarters of Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division, which oversees the country’s nuclear assets.

Further intrigue was added by satellite imagery suggesting damage at Mushaf Airbase in Sargodha. Defence analysts have long maintained that underground facilities beneath the nearby Kirana Hills may be linked to nuclear storage or support infrastructure. Kirana Hills lies roughly 20 kilometres by road from Sargodha and about 75 kilometres from the Kushab Nuclear Plant, a critical component of Pakistan’s nuclear fuel cycle.

While no official confirmation supports claims of strikes on Kirana Hills itself, the proximity of known strike locations to sensitive sites has reinforced perceptions of India’s expanding strategic reach. The operation was widely viewed as a calibrated message to Islamabad that New Delhi possesses the capability to strike high-value targets deep inside Pakistani territory, while still maintaining strategic restraint.

As speculation continues, the Republic Day video has once again underscored how symbolism, silence, and selective disclosure remain powerful tools in modern military signalling.