Israel Hits Iran’s Bandar Anzali Port on Caspian Sea for the First Time

Israel has launched its first-ever strike on Iran’s Bandar Anzali port on the Caspian Sea coast.

According to Israeli media, including The Times of Israel, the port serves as a base for Iran’s Northern Fleet and may have been used to export Iranian weapons to Russia and import goods from Russia.

While Bandar Anzali is not the fleet’s main base, some vessels may have been stationed there. The fleet reportedly includes a Moudge-class light frigate, a Hamzeh-class corvette, three Sina-class missile boats, and an Adjutant-class minesweeper.

It also operates several Ghaem- and Sewart-type patrol boats. The port is believed to store fuel products and possibly grain.

Given its geographic location, this fleet did not pose a direct threat to U.S.–Israeli forces. However, the port itself may have been used to receive weapons shipments from Russia.

In particular, as early as 2023, container ship movements carrying weapons were recorded from the port of Amirabad.

More recently, on March 11, it was reported that the United States destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz in a single day.

In addition to the minelayers, other Iranian naval ships and boats were struck by precision weapons. Larger combat units have also been hit, including Shahid Soleimani-class corvette catamarans operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—according to available data, at least three of these vessels were damaged or destroyed.

At the Iranian Navy’s Konarak base, the sinking of three ships has been reliably confirmed: the light frigate IRIS Jamaran (76) of the Moudge class, as well as the corvettes IRIS Bayandor (81) and IRIS Naghdi of the Bayandor class.

Three more vessels, including the support ship Delvar and two Hendijan-class patrol boats, were likely also destroyed, although there is currently no clear visual confirmation.