Recent satellite imagery of Pakistan’s Bholari Airbase reveals ongoing repair efforts at a hangar that suffered significant damage during Indian airstrikes carried out in May under Operation Sindoor. The imagery, captured in early June 2025, shows the hangar’s damaged roof now covered with tarpaulin, indicating preliminary steps toward restoration.
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The hangar, believed to house a Saab 2000 Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft, was among several key assets targeted in the Indian Air Force’s coordinated assault on Pakistani military infrastructure. The attack, part of a broader campaign involving Rafale jets equipped with SCALP cruise missiles and AASM Hammer munitions, left a 60-foot-wide hole in the hangar’s roof and reportedly killed five Pakistan Air Force personnel stationed at the base.
Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and aimed at dismantling Pakistan-backed terror networks. The Indian Armed Forces struck six airbases—including Bholari, Mushaf, Nur Khan, and Sargodha—as well as terror training camps in Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, and Muridke. Before-and-after imagery released by Indian authorities confirmed the destruction of air defense radars, ammunition depots, and command centers.
Commercial satellite analysis firms such as Kawa Space and MizazVision have corroborated the extent of the destruction. Images revealed runway craters, damaged air traffic control infrastructure, and destroyed radar systems across targeted locations. While Pakistan managed to repair runway damage at Mushaf Airbase within 24 hours, the tarpaulin-covered structure at Bholari indicates that repair at this site is still in its early phase.
The loss or degradation of surveillance platforms like the Saab 2000 may temporarily weaken Pakistan’s air monitoring capabilities, especially near the Line of Control. Defense analysts suggest this could affect regional stability if either side perceives a shift in aerial dominance.
Pakistan has not officially acknowledged the repair work underway at Bholari, but the visual evidence points to efforts to restore operational readiness amid ongoing tensions. Operation Sindoor marks one of the most extensive Indian aerial campaigns since the 1971 war, highlighting a significant escalation in the use of precision airpower to counter cross-border threats.
