Fresh satellite images suggest that India’s airstrike on Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase caused more extensive damage than initially reported. While earlier assessments had pointed to the destruction of two special-purpose trucks, new visuals show an entire complex near the strike location demolished.
Recent satellite imagery suggests that Pakistan’s strategically important Nur Khan airbase sustained more extensive damage during India’s Operation Sindoor than earlier believed. A fresh assessment reveals that a large complex near the strike site has been demolished, expanding the perceived footprint 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. “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.
Earlier reports based on satellite analysis had 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.
Nur Khan: a vital hub for Pakistan’s drone and VIP air fleet
Located in Rawalpindi, less than 25 km from Islamabad, the Nur Khan airbase is a high-value target, housing key assets of the Pakistan Air Force. These include Saab Erieye airborne early warning systems, C-130 transporters, and IL-78 mid-air refuelling aircraft—critical for logistics, surveillance and operational coordination. The base is also home to Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 and indigenous Shahpar-I drones, used for targeting and surveillance operations.
Nur Khan is central to Pakistan’s drone warfare strategy and also 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.
Army chief woke me up after Indian missiles hit airbase: Shehbaz Sharif
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.
“I got a call at 2:30 am from General Munir on a secure line. He told me that India had just launched ballistic missiles and one of them fell at Nur Khan Airport,” Sharif said during a public address on Youm-e-Tashakur (Day of Thanks). According to Sharif, Pakistan retaliated by striking Indian locations including Pathankot and Udhampur.
Escalation and ceasefire after Pahalgam attack
The escalation followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. 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 am press conference that India had targeted Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Jhang) airbases. The revelation by Sharif confirms that Nur Khan was one of the closest Indian strike points to Islamabad.
By the end of the day on May 10, both sides announced that they had agreed to de-escalate the confrontation after four days of high-stakes military engagement across the border.
(With PTI inputs)
