Aerial Images Depict Iran's Navy and Atomic Sites Targeted by American and Israeli Military Action.
Multiple American and Israeli strikes has allegedly destroyed or damaged no fewer than 11 warships belonging to Iran since the weekend, new satellite images demonstrate, with rocket sites and nuclear sites also coming under fire.
Images of the southerly Konarak military port and the Bandar Abbas port installation, which sits on the Strait of Hormuz and is home to the main command of the Iran's naval force, reveal plumes of smoke rising from multiple warships on recent days.
Naval Forces Incurred Significant Damage
Among the targets eliminated was the IRINS Makran, the country's biggest warship which had been used as a drone carrier. Aerial imagery indicated dark plumes emanating from the vessel which had been stationed at the Bandar Abbas naval base.
Analytical evaluations indicate that no fewer than a quintet of warships at Bandar Abbas were "hit or sunk". Pictures of the southern part of the harbor reveal smoke rising from the IRINS Makran, while two other ships appear to be harmed, with one of them seen burning.
Over at the Konarak base, images reveal multiple damaged vessels, with intelligence reports identifying damage to six ships. Pictures taken on the start of the week also indicate that several buildings at the base have been demolished.
"For a long time the Tehran government has harassed international shipping," the head of US Central Command stated. "Now, there is not a single Iranian ship operational in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Oman, and we will persist."
A number of vessels reportedly sunk may have been obscured in satellite images by haze or plumes, or targeted offshore, and have yet to be fully confirmed. Additional information indicated that one Iranian ship was sinking near Sri Lanka's territorial waters, leading to a search and rescue mission.
Missile Installations and Nuclear Facilities Attacked
Eliminating Iran's rocket sites and the stopping nuclear weapons development were stated as additional objectives of the military strikes. Aerial imagery also showed damage at the southerly Khorgu base and northwestern Tabriz missile facilities, and at the Konarak air air base, where weapons bunkers and fortifications were hit.
Over at the Choqa Balk-e UAV facility west of the city of Kermanshah, significant destruction was identified to sheds, underground facilities and drone launch equipment.
Destruction was also seen at a surveillance station at the Zahedan military airport in eastern Iran, near the frontier with neighboring nations.
Of particular note, the most recent series of strikes have reportedly hit facilities at the Natanz complex – widely believed to be at the core of the country's atomic program. An international watchdog commented that the affected buildings were used for access to the facility's underground nuclear plant and that "no release of radioactive material" was likely.
Wider Impact and Analysis
Military analysts suggested that the strikes appeared to have "significantly degraded" the Iran's naval capacity to conduct standard operations using its largest warships. But, it was noted that Iran still has the ability to launch unconventional attacks at sea through the use of drones, midget subs and its so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers.
The full scope of the damage caused to Iran's defense facilities remains unclear, with strikes said to be persisting. Imagery also indicates widespread destruction to the headquarters 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 throughout Iran after the conflict escalated. Toll estimates from ground sources suggest that hundreds of non-combatants may have been lost their lives in the attacks.
As the situation develops, review of satellite imagery will continue to document the unfolding scope of damage.