Recent satellite imagery has brought renewed focus on the extent of damage inflicted on Pakistan's Murid Air Base following strikes reportedly carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF) as part of Operation Sindoor. The images, analyzed by various geo-intelligence experts, reveal structural damage to key facilities at the base, sparking speculation about the nature and purpose of the targeted areas, including the possibility of an underground facility.
The Murid Air Base, located in the Chakwal district of Pakistan's Punjab province, is considered a strategically important location. It serves as a forward operating base and is known to house a fleet of fighter jets and drones, including advanced UAVs and UCAVs like the Shahpar-1 and Bayraktar TB2. Given its proximity to the Indian border, the base plays a critical role in maintaining Pakistan's air assets and supporting its drone warfare program, including surveillance, strikes, and intelligence gathering.
The satellite images, accessed by defense analyst Damien Symon and others, show structural damage to a Command & Control building at the Murid Air Base. Reports indicate a partial roof collapse, suggesting potential internal damage to the facility. This strike is particularly noteworthy as it targets a key node in the base's operational network. Some reports suggest that the base was understood to be housing Turkish drones, which were used to target multiple locations in India between May 7 and May 10, in response to Operation Sindoor.
Adding another layer of intrigue, some reports highlight the proximity of the damage to a possible underground facility at the airbase. NDTV, citing high-resolution satellite images, reported a three-meter-wide crater just 30 meters from an underground facility of the Pakistan Air Force. While details about the exact nature and purpose of this underground structure remain unclear, its presence raises questions about whether the Indian strikes specifically aimed to target or disable this covert installation. It is suggested that the strikes didn't directly target the underground facility but rather the entrances, potentially blocking entry and exit.
The Indian Armed Forces have shared "before-and-after" satellite images showcasing the destruction caused by Operation Sindoor at terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Muridke and Bhawalpur. According to the Indian military, the actions taken on the nights of May 9 and 10 marked the first instance of a country damaging air force camps of a nuclear power. Air Marshal AK Bharti stated that 11 bases were attacked within three hours, including Nur Khan, Rafiqui, and Murid, emphasizing that while India had the ability to target every system in the air bases, restraint was exercised to avoid escalation.
Operation Sindoor was reportedly launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. India's calibrated military response aimed to target terror infrastructure across Pakistan and PoJK, which served as operational centers for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen.
The strikes on the Murid Air Base and other Pakistani military installations have heightened tensions between the two countries. While Pakistan has downplayed the extent of the damage, the satellite imagery and reports from various sources suggest that the Indian strikes were precise and strategically targeted. The focus on a Command & Control building and the proximity of the damage to a possible underground facility at Murid Air Base raise questions about India's objectives and the potential impact on Pakistan's military capabilities in the region. Further investigation and analysis are needed to fully understand the extent of the damage and the implications for regional security.
