Pak struggles to open air base hit during Op Sindoor, closure extended again
Pakistan has once again issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) for Rahim Yar Khan base that was struck by Indian missiles during Operation Sindoor in May.OSINT expert Damien Saymon shared the update on X and wrote, "Pakistan once again issues a NOTAM for Rahim Yar Khan, the runway struck by India in May 2025 now remains offline estimated till 04 July 2025."
advertisementThe strikes on Rahim Yar Khan were part of India's Phase 2 of Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, in retaliation for Pakistan's attacks on Indian military and civilian targets. India had already struck terror camps in the first phase of the operation.
Days after the strike in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner, mounted an attack on Pakistan while reminding that its Rahim Yar Khan airbase is still not operational after being hit by Indian missiles during counter-airstrikes."Pakistan's Rahim Yar Khan airbase is still in ICU, not sure when it will reopen," PM Modi said.Rahim Yar Khan, considered one of Pakistan's strategic airbases, is housed within the international airport of the same name in Punjab province. The air base suffered massive damage, inflicting a major blow to Islamabad's military capabilities. Later, Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority reportedly declared that the sole runway would be non-operational for a week. The formal Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), issued on the evening of May 10, cited the closure from 4:00 pm Pakistan time (4:30 pm IST) on May 10 until at least 4:59 am Pakistan time (5:29 am IST) on May 18.advertisementHowever, the closure has now been extended till July 4.The Indian government confirmed that the airbase was targeted in a carefully calculated move to neutralise Pakistan's military infrastructure while minimising collateral damage.
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