Space-Based Photographs Show Iranian Naval Forces and Atomic Facilities Targeted by US-Israeli Military Action.

A wave of US and Israeli airstrikes has according to analysis destroyed or damaged at least 11 warships belonging to Iran since the weekend, new orbital imagery reveal, with missile bases and enrichment plants also sustaining hits.

Pictures of the southern Konarak military port and the Bandar Abbas installation, which is located on the Strait of Hormuz and houses the main command of the Iran's naval force, depict black smoke pouring from several warships on Monday and Tuesday.

Naval Fleet Sustained Significant Losses

Among the targets eliminated was the Makran, Iran's biggest warship which had been used as a drone carrier. Orbital photos displayed black smoke rising from the ship which had been stationed at the Bandar Abbas naval base.

Analytical assessments indicate that at least five vessels at the port were "damaged or eliminated". Imagery of the southern end of the port show smoke rising from the Makran, while two other vessels are visibly damaged, with one of them visibly ablaze.

At Konarak, photos show multiple stricken vessels, with expert review pointing to damage to six ships. Pictures from the start of the week also indicate that a number of buildings at the base have been demolished.

"For many years the Iran's leadership has harassed global maritime traffic," the head of US Central Command declared. "At present, there is not a single Iranian vessel operational in the Arabian Gulf, Hormuz Strait or Gulf of Oman, and we will continue."

A number of vessels reportedly sunk may have been obscured in satellite images by haze or plumes, or struck at sea, and have not been independently verified. Other accounts suggested that an Iranian vessel was going down off the coast of Sri Lanka's territorial waters, prompting a search and rescue mission.

Missile Installations and Atomic Facilities Attacked

The destruction of Iran's rocket sites and the hindering of enrichment activities were listed as further aims of the military strikes. Satellite images also showed damage at the southerly Khorgu and north-western Tabriz missile bases, and at the Konarak base, where missile storage facilities and fortifications were struck.

At the Choqa Balk-e drone unmanned aircraft site west of the city of Kermanshah, significant destruction was seen to sheds, underground facilities and unmanned aircraft systems.

Impact was also seen at a surveillance station at the Zahedan military airport in eastern Iran, near the frontier with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Significantly, the most recent series of strikes have apparently targeted installations at Natanz – widely believed to be at the center of Iran's atomic program. The UN's atomic energy body commented that the affected buildings were used for entry to the site's below-ground nuclear plant and that "no release of radioactive material" was anticipated.

Wider Impact and Assessment

Defense experts stated that the offensive appeared to have "significantly degraded" the Iran's naval ability to sustain standard operations using its biggest vessels. However, it was noted that Tehran retains the option to launch irregular strikes at sea through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, midget subs and its so-called "ghost fleet" of oil ships.

The overall scope of the destruction caused to Iranian military facilities is still uncertain, with hostilities reportedly continuing. Photos also reveals extensive destruction to the headquarters of the the IRGC in the city of Tehran.

A significant number of non-military structures also seem to have been struck in the capital city and across Iran since the conflict escalated. Toll estimates from ground sources state that many hundreds of non-combatants may have been killed in the bombardment.

With the conflict ongoing, review of space-based data will carry on to track the changing military landscape.

John Huynh
John Huynh

Elara is a seasoned mountaineer and travel writer with over a decade of experience exploring remote peaks and sharing her adventures.