Ceasefire Holds Amid Explosive Allegations of India Strike on Pakistani Nuclear Facility
Social Media Buzzes With Claims, U.S. Aircraft Allegedly Deployed to Assess Radiation; India Denies Targeting Nuclear Site
MORMUGAO, May 13: As the ceasefire between India and Pakistan enters a tentative calm phase, a parallel information battle is unfolding across social media and international defense circles. Speculation continues to mount that the Indian Air Force (IAF) may have struck a Pakistani nuclear facility, prompting the alleged deployment of a U.S. Nuclear Emergency Support aircraft – the B350 AMS – to assess potential radiation exposure.
Indian Strikes Spanned Major Pakistani Cities
The IAF reportedly carried out strikes on key Pakistani military installations across the country, including:
- Rafiqui Airbase (Shorkot)
- Nur Khan Airbase (Rawalpindi)
- Murid Airbase (Chakwal)
- Rahimyar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian
- Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot
- Malir Cantonment (Karachi), as indicated by satellite imagery
This widespread targeting covered nearly every major Pakistani city—Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, and Karachi—in what is being viewed as an unprecedented aerial offensive.
Kirana Hills Allegations Spark Nuclear Alarm
Unconfirmed reports claim that the Mushaf Airbase in Sargodha, suspected to be connected to underground nuclear storage at Kirana Hills, sustained damage during the strikes. Following this, flight tracking data from Flightradar24 allegedly showed a B350 AMS aircraft, affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Emergency Support Team, entering Pakistani airspace—fueling speculation of a radioactive leak or nuclear safety concern.
Did Pakistan Seek U.S. Help for Ceasefire?
Shortly after these reports gained traction online, Indian defense forums and open-source intelligence communities began speculating that Pakistan had sought U.S. intervention to push for a ceasefire. The theory suggests Islamabad feared further strikes on its nuclear infrastructure and potentially the decapitation of its nuclear command structure.
International media echoed similar concerns. A former U.S. official, quoted by The New York Times, stated:
“Pakistan’s deepest fear is of its nuclear command authority being decapitated. The missile strike on Nur Khan could have been interpreted… as a warning that India could do just that.”
These revelations, although speculative, have intensified regional anxieties.
India’s Firm Denial
Addressing the swelling controversy, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, firmly denied any targeting of nuclear facilities during a press briefing held on May 12. When questioned specifically about the alleged Kirana Hills strike, he remarked sarcastically:
“I have no idea Kirana Hills even had a nuclear facility.”
The statement was seen as a categorical rejection of the claims, aiming to dispel the growing narrative that India had crossed a red line by attacking nuclear assets.
Strategic Ramifications and the Road Ahead
While the ceasefire remains in place, the fog of war continues to be thick with unconfirmed reports, satellite images, and open-source data. Defense analysts have called for independent verification by neutral international observers to determine the truth of the claims.
As South Asia’s two nuclear-armed neighbors tread a fragile path back to stability, the international community remains watchful. In a region where misinformation can spark escalation, clarity and diplomacy are more critical than ever.
