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A series of joint strikes has allegedly sunk or crippled at least eleven Iran's navy ships since the weekend, new orbital imagery demonstrate, with rocket sites and enrichment plants also coming under fire.

Photographs of the southern Konarak military port and the Bandar Abbas port facility, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz and houses the main command of the Iranian navy, depict black smoke pouring from multiple warships on the start of the week.

Naval Forces Sustained Major Damage

Among the ships sunk was the Makran, Iran's most sizable ship which had been used as a drone carrier. Satellite images displayed black smoke emanating from the vessel which had been stationed at the Bandar Abbas base.

Intelligence reports indicate that no fewer than five vessels at the port were "hit or sunk". Photos of the south end of the harbor show smoke emanating from the IRINS Makran, while additional ships are visibly damaged, with one seen burning.

Over at Konarak, photos show several stricken vessels, with intelligence reports pointing to impacts on six ships. Photos taken on the start of the week also indicate that several structures at the base have been destroyed.

"For decades the Iran's leadership has threatened global maritime traffic," a senior US military official stated. "At present, there is not one Iranian vessel underway in the Persian Gulf, Hormuz Strait or Gulf of Oman, and we will persist."

A number of ships allegedly sunk may have been obscured in aerial photos by haze or plumes, or targeted offshore, and have yet to be fully confirmed. Additional information stated that an Iranian vessel was foundering off the coast of Sri Lankan territorial waters, prompting a rescue operation.

Rocket Bases and Atomic Facilities Attacked

Neutralizing Iranian missile bases and the prevention of atomic bomb programs were declared as other objectives of the air campaign. Satellite images also revealed impacts against the southern Khorgu and north-western Tabriz missile bases, and at the Konarak air base, where rocket warehouses and fortifications were hit.

Over at the Choqa Balk-e unmanned aircraft site to the west of Kermanshah, significant damage was identified to warehouses, underground facilities and drone launch equipment.

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

Of particular note, the new round of attacks have apparently focused on facilities at the Natanz complex – widely believed to be at the core of Iran's enrichment efforts. The UN's atomic energy body stated that the affected buildings were used for access to the site's underground nuclear plant and that "no radiological consequence" was anticipated.

Broader Impact and Analysis

Observers stated that the offensive appeared to have "largely neutralized" the Iranian navy's ability to carry out traditional warfare using its biggest warships. But, it was emphasised that Tehran retains the ability 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 full scope of the damage caused to Iranian military facilities remains unclear, with hostilities reportedly continuing. Photos also shows considerable destruction to the command center of the Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the capital Tehran.

A large number of civilian buildings also appear to have been damaged in the capital and across Iran since the fighting began. Toll estimates from local officials suggest that a high number of non-combatants may have been lost their lives in the strikes.

Amid continuing hostilities, analysis of satellite imagery will continue to document the changing military landscape.