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A series of US and Israeli strikes has according to analysis destroyed or damaged at least 11 Iran's navy ships starting the weekend, new aerial photos show, with missile bases and atomic facilities also being targeted.

Photographs of the southern Konarak naval base and the Bandar Abbas installation, which is located on the Strait of Hormuz and contains the headquarters of the Iranian navy, depict black smoke pouring from a number of warships on the start of the week.

Naval Fleet Sustained Substantial Damage

Among the vessels destroyed was the IRINS Makran, the country's biggest warship which had been used as a drone carrier. Orbital photos showed dark plumes pouring from the vessel which had been docked at the Bandar Abbas naval base.

Analytical evaluations state that no fewer than a quintet of warships at the port were "hit or sunk". Imagery of the south end of the harbor reveal smoke emanating from the Makran, while two other vessels appear to be impacted, with a single one seen burning.

Over at the Konarak base, photos reveal numerous stricken vessels, with intelligence reports pointing to damage to a half-dozen warships. Pictures from the start of the week also indicate that several buildings at the installation have been destroyed.

"For many years the Iranian regime has disrupted global maritime traffic," the head of US Central Command stated. "At present, there is no Iranian vessel underway in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Sea of Oman, and we will not stop."

Some ships reportedly destroyed may have been concealed in satellite images by weather conditions or battle damage, or hit in open waters, and have yet to be fully confirmed. Additional information stated that an Iranian vessel was foundering off the coast of Sri Lanka's territorial waters, resulting in a search and rescue mission.

Rocket Sites and Atomic Facilities Targeted

Eliminating Iran's rocket sites and the prevention of atomic bomb programs were stated as other goals of the offensive. Aerial imagery also revealed impacts against the southern Khorgu base and north-western Tabriz missile facilities, and at the Konarak air air base, where weapons bunkers and bunkers were targeted.

Over at the Choqa Balk-e drone UAV facility west of the city of Kermanshah, widespread destruction was observed to warehouses, bunkers and unmanned aircraft systems.

Impact was also noted at a radar site at the Zahedan airbase airbase in eastern parts of the country, near the frontier with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Perhaps most notably, the new round of strikes have apparently targeted installations at the Natanz complex – considered at the heart of Iran's nuclear programme. 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 nuclear fallout" was expected.

Broader Consequences and Analysis

Defense experts indicated that the strikes appeared to have "greatly reduced" the Iranian navy's ability to conduct standard operations using its largest vessels. But, it was stressed that Iran maintains the ability to launch asymmetric warfare at sea through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, midget subs and its so-called "ghost fleet" of tankers.

The overall scope of the destruction caused to Iranian military facilities remains unclear, with strikes reportedly continuing. Imagery also indicates widespread damage to the command center of the the IRGC in the capital Tehran.

A significant number of civilian buildings also appear to have been hit in the capital and across the country after the fighting escalated. Casualty figures from local officials indicate that a high number of non-combatants may have been lost their lives in the bombardment.

With the conflict ongoing, analysis of satellite imagery will carry on to track the unfolding scope of damage.