Satellite Imagery Show Iranian Navy and Atomic Locations Damaged by Joint US and Israeli Airstrikes.

A series of US and Israeli airstrikes has allegedly sunk or crippled at least eleven Iran's navy ships starting Saturday, new satellite images show, with rocket sites and nuclear sites also being targeted.

Images of the southerly Konarak military port and the Bandar Abbas port facility, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz and houses the main command of the Iranian navy, show black smoke pouring from several warships on Monday and Tuesday.

Naval Fleet Sustained Significant Losses

Among the ships sunk was the IRINS Makran, Iran's largest naval vessel which had served as a unmanned aerial vehicle platform. Aerial imagery displayed black smoke emanating from the vessel which had been docked at the Bandar Abbas naval base.

Intelligence reports suggest that at least five ships at the port were "damaged or eliminated". Photos of the southern part of the port show plumes ascending from the IRINS Makran, while another pair of vessels appear to be impacted, with one of them clearly on fire.

Over at Konarak, photos reveal several damaged ships, with analysis identifying damage to six ships. Photos taken on the start of the week also show that a number of facilities at the base have been leveled.

"For many years the Iranian regime has disrupted international shipping," an American commander declared. "Today, there is no Iranian ship operational in the Persian Gulf, Hormuz Strait or Gulf of Oman, and we will continue."

A number of ships allegedly sunk may have been hidden in aerial photos by haze or plumes, or hit in open waters, and have not been independently verified. Separate reports indicated that an Iranian vessel was foundering near Sri Lanka's territorial waters, prompting a rescue operation.

Rocket Bases and Atomic Locations Attacked

Eliminating Tehran's launch facilities and the hindering of nuclear weapons development were listed as other objectives of the air campaign. Satellite images also depicted impacts against the southern Khorgu and northwestern Tabriz missile bases, and at the Konarak base, where weapons bunkers and fortifications were hit.

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

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

Of particular note, the latest wave of attacks have reportedly targeted sites at the Natanz complex – considered at the heart of the country's nuclear programme. A global monitoring agency stated that the affected structures were used for entry to the site's below-ground nuclear plant and that "no radiological consequence" was expected.

Wider Impact and Analysis

Military analysts suggested that the offensive appeared to have "significantly degraded" the Iranian navy's ability to carry out standard operations using its biggest vessels. But, it was stressed that Tehran maintains the ability to launch irregular strikes at sea through the use of drones, mini-submarines and its so-called "ghost fleet" of tankers.

The total scope of the damage caused to Iran's defense facilities has yet to be fully assessed, with attacks said to be persisting. Imagery also indicates extensive destruction to the command center of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the capital Tehran.

A significant number of non-military structures also seem to have been struck in the capital and throughout the country after the conflict began. Reports of deaths from local officials suggest that hundreds of civilians may have been fatally injured in the bombardment.

As the situation develops, monitoring of satellite imagery will carry on to document the changing scope of damage.