Satellite Photographs Show Iran's Navy and Nuclear Locations Struck by Joint US and Israeli Attacks.

A series of joint attacks has reportedly eliminated or harmed at least 11 warships belonging to Iran starting the weekend, recently obtained satellite images reveal, with rocket sites and atomic facilities also sustaining hits.

Photographs of the southern Konarak naval base and the Bandar Abbas installation, which overlooks the strategic Hormuz Strait and houses the headquarters of the Iranian navy, show black smoke pouring from multiple ships on Monday and Tuesday.

Maritime Assets Sustained Major Damage

Included in the ships sunk was the IRINS Makran, Iran's most sizable ship which had been used as a drone carrier. Aerial imagery displayed dark plumes rising from the vessel which had been docked at the Bandar Abbas base.

Analytical assessments state that at least a quintet of warships at Bandar Abbas were "struck or destroyed". Photos of the southern part of the port depict smoke emanating from the Makran, while another pair of vessels appear to be harmed, with one of them clearly on fire.

Over at Konarak, images show numerous harmed vessels, with intelligence reports identifying damage to six vessels. Images taken on Monday also demonstrate that multiple facilities at the base have been leveled.

"For decades the Iran's leadership has threatened commercial vessels," the head of US Central Command said. "Today, there is no Iranian ship at sea in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Sea of Oman, and we will continue."

A number of ships allegedly sunk may have been obscured in aerial photos by cloud or smoke, or hit in open waters, and have yet to be fully confirmed. Separate reports indicated that an Iranian vessel was sinking off the coast of Sri Lankan territorial waters, prompting a search and rescue mission.

Missile Bases and Atomic Facilities Attacked

Eliminating Iranian missile bases and the hindering of atomic bomb programs were declared as other aims of the offensive. Aerial imagery also revealed impacts against the southern Khorgu base and northwestern Tabriz missile facilities, and at the Konarak base, where rocket warehouses and fortifications were hit.

At the Choqa Balk-e UAV facility to the west of the city of Kermanshah, significant damage was observed to storage buildings, underground facilities and UAV launching apparatus.

Impact was also noted at a radar site at the Zahedan military airport in eastern Iran, near the frontier with neighboring nations.

Significantly, the latest wave of attacks have apparently hit sites at the Natanz complex – long said to be at the core of the country's enrichment efforts. The UN's atomic energy body commented that the affected buildings were used for entry to the facility's below-ground nuclear plant and that "no nuclear fallout" was likely.

Wider Fallout and Assessment

Military analysts suggested that the strikes appeared to have "significantly degraded" the Iran's naval capacity to conduct standard operations using its biggest vessels. Nevertheless, it was emphasised that Iran retains the capacity to launch unconventional attacks at sea through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, mini-submarines and its so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers.

The full scope of the destruction caused to Iranian military facilities is still uncertain, with strikes said to be persisting. Pictures also indicates considerable destruction to the main offices of the the IRGC in the city of Tehran.

Numerous of public facilities also are reported to have been damaged in the capital and throughout Iran since the fighting started. Toll estimates from local officials suggest that hundreds of non-combatants may have been lost their lives in the bombardment.

Amid continuing hostilities, review of aerial photographs will continue to assess the unfolding scope of damage.

Manuel Marquez
Manuel Marquez

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in helping organizations leverage technology for innovation and sustainable growth.