Aerial Imagery Indicate Iranian Naval Forces and Nuclear Facilities Hit by Joint US and Israeli Airstrikes.
A wave of US and Israeli attacks has reportedly destroyed or damaged no fewer than 11 warships belonging to Iran starting the weekend, new satellite images reveal, with rocket sites and nuclear sites also coming under fire.
Images of the southerly Konarak military port and the Bandar Abbas port facility, which sits on the Strait of Hormuz and is home to the main command of the Iranian navy, reveal smoke billowing from multiple ships on Monday and Tuesday.
Naval Fleet Incurred Significant Damage
Included in the vessels destroyed was the Makran, Iran's most sizable ship which had served as a unmanned aerial vehicle platform. Aerial imagery showed thick smoke rising from the vessel which had been stationed at the Bandar Abbas base.
Intelligence reports suggest that at least a quintet of warships at the port were "hit or sunk". Pictures of the southern end of the port reveal smoke rising from the IRINS Makran, while another pair of ships appear to be harmed, with one clearly on fire.
Over at Konarak, photos reveal multiple damaged ships, with expert review identifying damage to six vessels. Photos taken on Monday also demonstrate that multiple structures at the base have been demolished.
"For a long time the Iranian regime has disrupted global maritime traffic," the head of US Central Command said. "Now, there is not one Iranian vessel operational in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Sea of Oman, and we will not stop."
Some vessels allegedly sunk may have been concealed in satellite images by weather conditions or battle damage, or targeted offshore, and have yet to be fully confirmed. Additional information stated that one Iranian ship was foundering off the coast of Sri Lankan territorial waters, prompting a search and rescue mission.
Rocket Sites and Nuclear Locations Hit
Eliminating Iran's rocket sites and the hindering of atomic bomb programs were stated as further objectives of the air campaign. Satellite images also showed impacts against the southern Khorgu and north-western Tabriz missile facilities, and at the Konarak air air base, where rocket warehouses and bunkers were targeted.
At the Choqa Balk-e unmanned aircraft site to the west of the city of Kermanshah, extensive damage was seen to warehouses, underground facilities and unmanned aircraft systems.
Destruction was also noted at a radar site at the Zahedan airbase in eastern Iran, near the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Of particular note, the latest wave of strikes have apparently focused on installations at the Natanz complex – long said to be at the core of Iran's nuclear programme. The UN's atomic energy body said that the damaged structures were used for entry to the site's underground nuclear plant and that "no radiological consequence" was likely.
Broader Impact and Analysis
Observers stated that the offensive appeared to have "largely neutralized" the Iranian navy's capability to conduct conventional attacks using its largest warships. But, it was emphasised that Tehran retains the option to launch unconventional attacks at sea through the use of drones, midget subs and its so-called "clandestine network" of oil ships.
The total extent of the damage caused to Iranian military infrastructure has yet to be fully assessed, with attacks reportedly continuing. Imagery also reveals considerable destruction to the command center of the the IRGC in the city of Tehran.
Numerous of public facilities also are reported to have been hit in the capital city and across Iran after the hostilities started. Casualty figures from local officials suggest that a high number of non-combatants may have been lost their lives in the bombardment.
As the situation develops, analysis of aerial photographs will continue to document the evolving battlefield picture.