What Is Kirana Hills? Why Is It Being Discussed After ‘Operation Sindoor’?
Following India's “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, 2025, which targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan, widespread social media speculation emerged that the Indian Armed Forces had also struck Kirana Hills—an area under Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence. In response, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, Indian Air Force, categorically dismissed these claims during a press briefing on Monday.
Photographs and videos circulated on several X (formerly Twitter) accounts showed thick plumes of smoke and claimed loud explosions had occurred in Kirana Hills, located in Sargodha district of Pakistan’s Punjab province. This raised questions among the media regarding whether India had expanded its operation to include an attack on Kirana Hills and Pakistan’s air bases.
When asked, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti replied with sarcasm, stating, “Thank you for informing us that there are some nuclear establishments in Kirana Hills. We were not aware of that,” thereby denying any Indian involvement in a strike on the location.
Strategic Significance of Kirana Hills
Kirana Hills is recognized as a critical area under Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence. It is believed that the caves within these hills are used by the Pakistan military for the storage of nuclear weapons. The World Nuclear Association, in its February 2025 report, stated that "four large reactors for the production of plutonium required for weapons are located at Khushab, 200 kilometres south of Islamabad."
Kirana Hills is widely regarded as a highly fortified military zone with underground nuclear infrastructure. This was detailed by Colonel Vinayak Bhat (Retired) in a November 2017 article published by The Print.
Satellite imagery appears to show that a strike occurred on the runway of Mushaf Air Base in Sargodha. According to Google Maps, the air base is situated approximately 19.9 kilometres from Kirana Hills. Despite these developments, the Indian Air Force has officially confirmed that Kirana Hills was not a target of its operations.