Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti was asked during Monday’s presser if the Indian armed forces target the nuclear facility reportedly located at Kirana Hills in Pakistan during recent military operations.
Addressing it, Air Marshal Bharti said, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation. We did not know about it…We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.” His remarks came amid reports claiming India had struck Mushaf Airbase in Sargodha, linked to underground nuclear storage beneath Kirana Hills.
Air Marshal Bharti further praised the Indian military’s preparedness and the performance of homegrown defence technology. “Another highlight was the stellar performance of indigenous air defence weapons like the Akash system,” he said, adding, “All our military bases and systems continue to remain fully operational and ready to undertake any mission.”
At a joint press briefing on Sunday, Air Marshal Bharti presented satellite imagery and visuals of extensive damage to Pakistan’s air defence radars, airfields and other military infrastructure. He confirmed that 11 Pakistani air bases were targeted, including radars in Pasrur, Chunian and Arifwala.
India’s recent strikes were in retaliation to Pakistan’s attempted targeting of 26 Indian locations including critical air force bases in Udhampur, Pathankot and Adampur, during the night of May 9–10.
These actions were part of ‘Operation Sindoor’, launched by India on May 7, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The operation focused on dismantling nine identified terror hubs across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. However, both the nations reached an agreement to cease all hostilities across land, air and sea with immediate effect on May 10.