New Satellite Image Shows Massive Damage To Pak's Nur Khan Base After Operation Sindoor
New Delhi:
Recent satellite imagery suggests that Pakistan's strategically important Nur Khan airbase sustained more extensive damage during India's 'Operation Sindoor' than previously believed. Nur Khan, a vital hub for Pakistan's drone and VIP air fleet, is located in Rawalpindi, less than 25 kilometres from Islamabad. The base is a high-value target, housing key assets of the Pakistan Air Force.
"A review of Nur Khan Airbase, Pakistan, reveals the entire complex near India's strike location has now been demolished, suggesting the strike's effect went beyond the two special-purpose trucks-possibly presenting a broader footprint of the damage," defence analyst Damien Symon posted on X.
A fresh assessment reveals that a large complex near the strike site has been demolished, expanding the perceived impact of the Indian Air Force's precision strikes.
According to The Intel Lab, which shared the latest satellite visuals, the destruction appears to go beyond the previously reported damage to two special-purpose trucks.
Earlier reports based on satellite analysis indicated that India carried out precision strikes between May 8 and 10, targeting infrastructure and ground support systems at the Rawalpindi-based airbase.
The attack was viewed as both strategic and symbolic, as the base lies close to the Pakistan Army's headquarters and serves as the command centre for air mobility operations. These operations include Saab Erieye airborne early warning systems, C-130 transport aircraft, and IL-78 mid-air refuelling planes, which are critical for logistics, surveillance, and operational coordination.
The base also houses Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones and Pakistan's indigenous Shahpar-I drones, used for targeting and surveillance missions.
Nur Khan is central to Pakistan's drone warfare strategy and hosts the country's elite pilot training and VIP fleet, including the presidential aircraft. The scale of the strike has exposed significant vulnerabilities in Pakistan's air defence system.
Adding to the narrative, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently revealed that he was awakened in the early hours of May 11 by army chief General Syed Asim Munir, who informed him that Indian ballistic missiles had hit multiple airbases, including Nur Khan.
Recently, Sharif said during a public meeting that he had received a call from General Munir at 2:30 a.m. on a secure line. He told him that India had just launched ballistic missiles, and one of them fell at Nur Khan Airport. He was speaking on Youm-e-Tashakur (Day of Thanks).
According to Sharif, Pakistan retaliated by striking Indian locations, including Pathankot and Udhampur. The escalation followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people killed.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan. In response, Pakistan attempted missile attacks on May 8, 9, and 10.
On May 10, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry confirmed in a 4 a.m. press conference that India had targeted Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Jhang) airbases. His statement confirms that Nur Khan was one of the closest Indian strike points to Islamabad. By the evening of May 10, both sides announced that they had agreed to de-escalate the confrontation after four days of intense military engagement across the border.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Organisers should have planned it better,' says BCCI's Devajit Saikia on RCB's victory parade tragedy
Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia has said that the organisers should have done better while planning the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory parade on Wednesday. Tragedy struck on what should've been a day of celebration as the Bengaluru police couldn't handle the large crowds outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, leading to a stampede in which 11 people died. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who met the players at the Vidhana Soudha as the tragedy unfolded, admitted in a press conference later that the organisers had not expected the crowds to turn up in such large numbers. 'It is very unfortunate,' Saikia is quoted as saying by PTI. 'This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better. My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. I wish early recovery of the injured.' Saikia said that safety and security measures need to be taken whenever one organises victory celebration of this magnitude. He took the examples of Kolkata Knight Riders' victory parade last season and the Indian men's team parade in Mumbai after the 2024 T20 World Cup victory. 'When one organises a victory celebration of this magnitude, proper precautions, safety and security measures need to be taken. There have been some lapses somewhere. After such a glorious ending to the IPL, this has been an anti climax. There have been IPL celebrations in the past as well, like in Kolkata last year when KKR won but nothing happened there.' Saikia also cited the examples of the celebrations in Mumbai following India's T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados. 'Same was the case when we won the T20 World Cup. There was a sea of humanity in Mumbai but nothing happened. Police and local authorities worked in tandem to ensure smooth conduct. I hope nothing more untoward happens.' A large majority of the massive crowd at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad were wearing RCB colours during the IPL 2025 final on Tuesday. RCB beat Punjab Kings by six runs to win their maiden IPL title, ending an 18-year long wait for the trophy and leading to widespread celebrations in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru that went through the night. 'Even yesterday in Ahmedabad, during the IPL final, there were 120,000 people at the stadium but BCCI has a dedicated team which has done elaborate planning in coordination with local district administration and law enforcing authorities to ensure that safety and security of the spectators,' said Saikia.
The Hindu
35 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Nandyal MP Byreddy Shabari highlights India's progress on climate goal front at BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brazil
Nandyal MP Byreddy Shabari asserted that India had been actively protecting the environment even before global discussions on climate change began, citing the Chipko Movement of the 1970s, in which rural women played a key role in saving forests, as an example, at a session on 'Empowering Women to Face the Climate Crisis', organised as part of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in Brazil on Wednesday. On the occasion, Ms. Shabari highlighted India's progress on the climate goal front, which included a 24% reduction in emission intensity and an addition of 159 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity, and mentioned that the country had the largest number of Ramsar sites in entire South Asia. She also spoke about the need for gender-inclusive climate policies, and the important role women could play in environment protection. Ms. Shabari said it was enriching to engage and exchange ideas with fellow Parliamentarians from around the world, especially from the BRICS group of nations, and these interactions reinforced the importance of dialogue, solidarity, and shared commitment to progress and equality, while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for giving her the opportunity to be part of the Indian delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Medical education in Gujarat now costs as much as studying in Russia, Georgia
SLUG: FEE HIKE Ahmedabad: A significant fee hike in Gujarat's private and semi-govt medical colleges has drawn sharp criticism from medical fraternity and political leaders, who say the move makes studying medicine in the state either comparable or costlier than in countries like Georgia, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The fee regulation committee (FRC) revised medical course fees upward by as much as 12% this week, putting management quota seats at some private colleges above Rs 1 crore. Even govt quota seats cost more than Rs 57 lakh in some colleges. The Indian Medical Association says this will push aspiring doctors to seek cheaper options overseas. Every year, around 15,000 students from Gujarat go to pursue MBBS degrees in countries Russia, Georgia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, where colleges offer full medical degrees for lower fees and lower academic barriers for admissions. Experts believe the fee hike will accelerate the exodus of students to these countries. An expert said, "In India, students face immense competition, and admissions are mostly based on merit. However, getting into these foreign medical colleges is relatively straightforward and does not depend on merit. The average cost for a medical degree (five-year course) in Eastern Europe ranges between Rs 40-50 lakh, with Russia averaging around Rs 30 lakh, and Nepal and Bangladesh between Rs 38-40 lakh. An Ahmedabad-based immigration consultant told TOI that before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine was a favoured destination for students pursuing medicine from Gujarat and, by extension, India. "But even today, about 15,000 students from the state pursue medical education abroad," said the consultant. Students in countries such as Georgia are often trained for exams such as the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in India after their return. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For Europe and the US, students prepare for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB), they added. "The students work hard for two or more years for NEET and then compete for coveted govt quota seats. While there is an increase in seats, there have been no new govt-run medical colleges in the past 10 years. In such a scenario, students have no option but to opt for GMERS or private colleges," said an educationist. "After a doctor spends lakhs and crores on education, we expect them to serve society selflessly. We must provide a level-playing field to aspirants. "
