A Republic Day video released by the Indian Air Force has reignited speculation over whether Indian jets targeted Pakistan’s sensitive Kirana Hills during Operation Sindoor last year. The montage showcases Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, and Tejas jets flying in the “Sindoor formation,” set to the Mahishasura Mardini theme. It portrays the aircraft as “unbreakable guarantors of peace” and “fierce enforcers,” while displaying explosions at sites including Sargodha’s Mushaf airbase near Kirana Hills.

Operation Sindoor took place on 7 May 2025, following the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, in an assault by Pakistan-backed militants. India responded with precision strikes on nine terrorist camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating over 100 militants.

Pakistan retaliated with drones, missiles, and mortar fire against Indian military and civilian targets, prompting a swift Indian counterstrike. The IAF deployed BrahMos, SCALP-EG, and Rampage missiles from Su-30MKIs, Jaguars, and Rafales, hitting 11 military sites up to 200 km inside Pakistan, including airbases at Nur Khan, Murid, Rafiqui, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot.

Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showed extensive damage: Mushaf airbase’s runway in Sargodha suffered craters up to 15 feet wide, with hangars and vehicles also impacted. Nur Khan airbase near Islamabad, close to Pakistan’s nuclear command centre, was damaged as well. Kirana Hills, near Sargodha, has long been suspected of storing nuclear weapons, with CIA reports noting tunnels and radar stations about 20 km from Mushaf and 75 km from the Khushab plutonium plant. Open-source analysts suggested Google Earth imagery indicated “warning strikes” there to demonstrate India’s capability against Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

Indian officials denied targeting Kirana Hills. Air Marshal AK Bharti stated on 12 May 2025, “We have not hit Kirana Hills… we didn’t know about it.” Defence briefings stressed strikes were against terrorist infrastructure and military assets, not nuclear sites, and the IAEA dismissed radiation leak rumours. The Republic Day video, released on 26 January 2026, shows footage of blasts near Kirana Hills alongside other Pakistani assets hit during Sindoor, prompting speculation that it subtly confirms the strikes. Social media erupted with questions about whether it exposes Pakistan’s nuclear vulnerabilities, though IAF sources maintain the footage highlights operational capability without specifics.

Strategic analysts view the strikes on Nur Khan and Sargodha as deliberate messaging that India could neutralize Pakistan’s nuclear command if needed. A US official cited by the New York Times noted Pakistan’s fear of this capability, reportedly prompting Islamabad to request a ceasefire on 10 May 2025. Pakistan downplayed the damage, claiming strikes hit “empty hillsides,” though visuals contradict this. No official response to the IAF video has been issued amid ongoing tensions. The incident highlights India’s growing precision strike doctrine, blending strategic denial with displays of military might. The video’s showcase of Meteor missiles on Rafales reinforces the IAF’s tactical edge and signals a deterrent to adversaries.