New satellite images reveal the extensive damage inflicted on Pakistan's Murid Air Base following India's Operation Sindoor. The images, accessed by various news outlets and geo-intelligence analysts, showcase the impact of precision strikes on key infrastructure at the base. The operation, launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, targeted multiple airbases within Pakistan, with Murid Air Base sustaining significant damage.
The satellite imagery shows a three-meter-wide crater a mere 30 meters from an underground facility. This indicates the pinpoint accuracy of the Indian strikes and suggests the potential compromise of sensitive assets. Damien Symon, a geo-intelligence expert, highlighted structural damage to a command and control building at the Murid Air Base, noting a partial roof collapse. This collapse likely caused substantial internal damage, potentially impacting the operational capabilities of the facility.
Murid Air Base, located in the Chakwal district of Punjab, is a crucial installation for Pakistan's air force. It supports the Sargodha and Nur Khan airbases and serves as a key facility for maintaining the readiness of Pakistan's air assets in the region bordering India. The base houses a fleet of fighter jets and drones, including high-end models like the Shahpar 1 and 2, Burraq, Falco, Bayraktar TB2S and Akinci, CH-4, and Wing Loong 2. The targeting of this base during Operation Sindoor underscores its strategic importance in Pakistan's defense infrastructure.
Beyond the Murid Air Base, Operation Sindoor inflicted damage on several other Pakistani airbases. Satellite imagery revealed large craters on runways, damaged aircraft hangars, and destruction to administrative and logistics buildings at bases including Nur Khan, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan. At the Nur Khan Airbase, a major operations complex was entirely demolished, suggesting that the strike's effects went far beyond the initial targets. The demolition indicates that the damage was so severe that restoration was deemed unviable.
The Indian strikes were described as "measured and calibrated," with a focus on terrorist infrastructure while avoiding direct targeting of Pakistani military installations. However, the extent of the damage suggests a significant blow to Pakistan's military capabilities and its ability to protect critical assets. The strikes had a major psychological impact on the Pakistani military, exposing vulnerabilities in their defense systems.
Operation Sindoor has prompted a reassessment of Pakistan's airbase resilience and has raised regional concerns about escalation control. The operation has also had diplomatic ramifications, with India deploying delegations to various capitals to convey its zero-tolerance approach to terrorism. While most countries welcomed India's actions, some, like Turkey, China, and Azerbaijan, withheld their support.
