A thick cloud of mystery hangs over Pakistan’s Kirana Hills. Ever since India carried out a series of precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, speculation has flared on social media and defense circles about a possible nuclear radiation leak emanating from the highly sensitive region in Pakistan’s Sargodha district.

While India has categorically denied targeting any nuclear installations, including Kirana Hills, and Pakistan has issued no official statement acknowledging a radiation emergency, the swirling rumours have only intensified. Adding fuel to the fire is the reported presence of a specialized U.S. aircraft, one known to respond to nuclear events, flying over Pakistani airspace.

As of May 13, 2025, there have been no confirmed medical emergencies in Pakistan that would indicate exposure to high levels of radiation. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remains silent, and Pakistani officials have neither confirmed nor denied the swirling allegations. Still, in the age of open-source tracking and real-time digital chatter, the absence of confirmation is not always the absence of crisis.

Kirana Hills, A Fortress Wrapped in Secrecy
For decades, Kirana Hills has remained one of Pakistan’s most closely guarded military zones. Nestled in the Sargodha district, the region is believed to house a network of over ten underground tunnels, long suspected of being used to store Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. Its proximity to the Sargodha Air Base (just 20 km away) and the Khushab nuclear complex (approximately 75 km distant) only adds to its strategic sensitivity.

It’s precisely this geography that has triggered alarm bells.

Despite widespread speculation, India’s Air Force maintains it did not strike Kirana Hills. Air Marshal AK Bharti stated unequivocally: “We have not hit Kirana Hills—whatever is there.” India insists that the targets under Operation Sindoor were limited to terrorist infrastructure and military assets, not nuclear facilities.

The Spark That Lit the Fire, Origins of the Leak Rumour
The origins of the radiation scare seem rooted in unverified reports that one of India’s strikes occurred near Sargodha, uncomfortably close to the Kirana zone. These whispers gained traction online after supposed sightings of American and Egyptian aircraft monitoring the area.

Most notably, a BrahMos missile, India’s supersonic precision strike weapon, was rumored to have been used near the vicinity. While this added to the urgency of the discussion, there is no credible evidence to support claims that India directly targeted Kirana Hills, let alone caused a nuclear leak.

Yet, one element in the narrative refuses to fade: the reported flight of a U.S. Beechcraft B350 “Aerial Measuring System” (AMS) aircraft over or near Pakistan.

The US Aircraft That Changed the Conversation
Enter the Beechcraft B350 AMS, an aircraft unlike any other routinely seen in South Asia’s skies. This isn’t a combat drone or a spy plane, it’s a nuclear emergency response aircraft operated by the U.S. Department of Energy. Part of the elite Aerial Measuring System, its purpose is chillingly clear: detect radiation leaks, map nuclear fallout, and support disaster response teams during radiological crises.

Its unexpected presence, if verified – speaks volumes.

Historically, the B350 AMS has flown missions after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, during U.S. nuclear weapons tests, and in the wake of major radiological exercises. Its deployment overseas is exceptionally rare, and when it happens, it usually requires diplomatic clearance and a specific mission tied to a potential or ongoing nuclear event.

What was it doing near Sargodha?

Two Possibilities
Open-source flight data suggests that a B350 AMS variant with tail number N111SZ briefly entered Pakistani airspace. Intriguingly, some defense analysts claim this aircraft was transferred to Pakistan’s Army Aviation in 2010. If accurate, that would mean either:

Pakistan deployed its own former-US nuclear emergency aircraft in response to a suspected radiation scare, or

The United States, in coordination with Pakistan, dispatched a radiation monitoring aircraft to evaluate potential fallout, possibly fearing something far more serious occurred behind closed doors.

Neither option is ordinary. Both suggest a level of concern that has not been reflected in public statements by either country.

Under The Lens – Something Stirred in Kirana

There are moments in geopolitics when official silence says more than press briefings. The air is unusually thick around Pakistan’s Kirana Hills, and not because of spring dust or monsoon winds. Following India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, something stirred deep beneath Pakistan’s most fortified terrain and the world may never be told what.

So, what are we to make of it?

To understand the implications, one must understand the real significance of Kirana Hills. Located roughly 20 km from the major Sargodha Air Base, the area is believed to host a network of underground tunnels possibly used to store Pakistan’s tactical or strategic nuclear weapons. Its proximity to Khushab, a site linked with plutonium production, elevates it from merely “sensitive” to potentially “existential.”

India’s Operation Sindoor was touted as a calibrated, preemptive strike targeting terror infrastructure and forward-operational bases. But in modern warfare, even the best-laid flight paths are not immune to proximity risks. Could a high-yield, high-precision weapon like the BrahMos have landed too close for comfort?

If even a tremor affected subterranean nuclear silos, Pakistan would be compelled to assess any possible breach. That’s where the B350 AMS comes in.

Equipped with gamma-ray spectrometers, real-time isotope mapping tools, and low-altitude scanning capability, the Beechcraft B350 AMS is a flying Geiger counter on steroids. It doesn’t circle over cities for fun.

This aircraft is deployed during:

–Nuclear accidents (Fukushima, Chernobyl-type scenarios)

–Post-nuclear weapon tests

–Dirty bomb exercises

–Suspected radiation leaks

The B350 AMS can not only detect the presence of radioactive particles, but also identify specific isotopes, helping authorities understand if nuclear material has escaped, been tampered with, or is simply unguarded.

So when this aircraft shows up in your airspace, you’re not just worried about image management. You’re worried about containment.

Whose Plane Was It, Really?
Here’s where the plot thickens. The tail number N111SZ previously belonged to a U.S.-owned AMS aircraft , one that was transferred to Pakistan Army Aviation in 2010, according to open-source records.

So was the plane flying last week:

A U.S.-operated mission, requiring diplomatic clearance?

Or a Pakistani-operated AMS platform, scrambled in urgency?

Or a joint exercise cloaked in plausible deniability?

Each possibility is significant. If it was American, it implies U.S. concern over a potential nuclear incident and quiet coordination with Pakistan. If it was Pakistani, it indicates a deep internal worry about radiation exposure,  a level of concern that belies their official silence.

Either scenario tells us one thing –  something triggered nuclear monitoring protocols.

Final Word –  We May Never Know But We Must Keep Watching
The truth about what happened in Kirana Hills may not emerge for months  or ever. But the choreography of this incident Indian strikes, silence from nuclear watchdogs, and the arrival of a radiation-hunting aircraft speaks volumes.

It tells us that in the shadowy corridors of nuclear deterrence, every tremor is taken seriously, even if no mushroom cloud follows. It also reminds us that in this part of the world, nuclear flashpoints are never more than one miscalculation away.

Until official records speak, if they ever do Kirana Hills remains a riddle shrouded in gamma rays and geopolitics.