New satellite photos exposed massive damage to Pakistan's Murid air base inflicted by Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes on May 10.
The recent pictures indicate not just damage to the surface constructions and concrete buildings but also considerable damage to the underground installations at this strategically significant base.
High-res photos published by the Intel Lab on X show a large crater about three meters in diameter, just 30 meters from one of the two gates of the Murid air base. Earlier satellite imagery had already shown damage to the rooftops and other buildings of this facility, which is a key hub for Pakistani missiles and drones.
Defense commentator Damien Symon, who posted the latest photographs on X, has been working diligently to reveal information about the damage done to Pakistan's most important airbases, both surface-level and underground.
He said, "This facility is double-fenced and securely protected with watchtowers and access control of its own, thereby making it a high-value target. This location could possibly have been designed to be able to survive any bombardment and could have been used for storing special equipment or as a shelter for personnel." Symon is a geo-intelligence researcher with Intel Lab.
The Murid air base is a forward-operating military installation in Pakistan, approximately 150 kilometers from the Line of Control. It is located in Chakwal and facilitates the other significant bases like Sargodha and Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, both serving critical positions for Pakistan's air force operations.
Satellite imagery before and after the May 10 attacks unmistakably reveals the scale of destruction to the Murid underground facilities. The April 16 imagery showed intact buildings, whereas post-attack satellite images indicate collapses of structures.
Symon said, "Structural damage is seen at this plant, thought to be a command-and-control node close to the airbase's UAV complex. A section of the roof has caved in, and the exterior walls also have visible deterioration." He reported these sightings with satellite photographs that testified to the damage only yesterday.
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