By Admin 
Did the Indian Air Force attack Kirana Hills of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May 2025? This question has been discussed for the last several months, but no clear answer was found. Now world famous aircraft historian and military analyst Tom Cooper has claimed in an interview given to a TV channel that yes, this had happened. He said the evidence was so clear that it was ‘like the sun rising in the east’. Cooper believes that this attack forced Pakistan to request a ceasefire.
Tom Cooper’s biggest claim is the attack on Kirana Hills.
Tom Cooper is one of the most trusted experts on aerial warfare. He has analyzed air conflicts around the world for years. One thing that comes up again and again in his talks on Operation Sindoor is that the Indian Air Force almost completely destroyed Pakistan’s missiles, drones and projectiles. But the biggest claim is on Kirana Hills.
After all, what is this Kirana Hills thing?
Kirana Hills is a sensitive area of Pakistan near Sargodha. Here are considered to be the main storage facilities of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. This place has also been associated with nuclear tests in the past i.e. subcritical or cold test. Satellite images and US reports show more than 40 hardened shelters, underground facilities, ammunition depots and maintenance centers for F-16 squadrons. Cooper says it’s ‘not Disneyland’. This is a core part of Pakistan’s nuclear program.
Now what is Cooper’s claim on the attack?
According to Cooper, early in the morning of 10 May 2025, the Indian Air Force conducted a precision strike on Kirana Hills. In the geo-located video posted on Pakistani social media, missiles are seen falling on the hills, smoke rising over the radar station (4091st Squadron). He said that first the radar was disabled, then the two main entrances to the underground facilities were attacked. Among the weapons dropped were BrahMos and Rampage from Su-30, Rampage from Jaguar and Scalp missiles from Rafale.
Cooper said, ‘This attack was very well thought out. Its purpose was not to cause much harm, but to give a clear message that ‘we can hit you anywhere, anytime.’ Now stop.’ He claimed that immediately after this attack, Pakistan demanded ceasefire from America and India through diplomatic channels. ‘Pakistan was finished then.’
What does the Indian side say?
The Indian Air Force has repeatedly denied the attack on Kirana Hills. Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor had said that only terrorist and military targets were targeted in the operation, not nuclear sites. Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti also said, ‘We did not hit Kirana Hills and we did not know that there was a nuclear installation there.’
So why is Cooper’s claim important?
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025, in which 26 civilians were killed. From 7 to 10 May, India carried out precise strikes on 9 terrorist targets in Pakistan and PoK. Cooper claims that the attack on Kirana Hills shows that India targeted not just terrorists but also Pakistan’s strategic capabilities, without nuclear escalation.
This controversy is not over yet. Cooper says the evidence comes from video, satellite and his personal sources. But the denial from the Indian side is also strong. Operation Sindoor showcased India’s military might, and the Kirana Hills claim is making it even more famous.