More than 50 Iranian military bases damaged in US strikes since start of war, satellite images show
Satellite Evidence Reveals Over 50 Iranian Military Sites Hit by US Attacks Since Conflict's Onset
More than 50 Iranian military bases - Satellite images analyzed by BBC Verify indicate that more than 50 Iranian military installations, including the command center of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), have been targeted by US-Israeli strikes since the war began. The images reveal widespread damage to air force jets, warships, and ballistic missile facilities across the nation. US officials report that over 13,000 targets have been struck in Iran since the conflict erupted on 28 February.
Escalating Strikes in the Gulf and Southern Beirut
Tensions flared again in the Gulf on Tuesday and Wednesday nights as US and Iranian forces launched new rounds of attacks following the downing of a US helicopter. Over the weekend, Iran and Israel exchanged military strikes, with Israel targeting southern Beirut and multiple sites within the Islamic Republic. Despite these exchanges, a temporary ceasefire has remained in effect for over a month.
Trump's Claims of Military Defeat
President Donald Trump asserted late last month that the US has "defeated them [Iran] militarily," claiming the country's navy and air force are "totally gone - 100 per cent."
"Their navy is completely obliterated - 100 per cent," he told his daughter-in-law and Fox News presenter, Lara Trump. "The air force is similarly annihilated - 100 per cent."
However, some satellite imagery suggests Tehran has used the fragile ceasefire to repair tunnel entrances at key missile sites.
BBC Verify's Assessment of Damage
BBC Verify compiled evidence of damage at 51 military sites using older Planet images and data from alternative international providers. The analysis, while likely partial due to the secrecy of many Iranian facilities, highlights the US's efforts to limit satellite coverage of the region. In March, the Pentagon requested Planet to restrict new imagery of Iran and much of the Middle East, citing concerns about adversarial use of the data.
Strikes on Air and Naval Assets
Satellite images show runways and aircraft at over a dozen locations damaged, implying the US now controls Iranian airspace. At Mehrabad International Airport, attacks on 7 March destroyed at least 17 military aircraft in the facility’s air section. Between 2-17 April, Shiraz Airbase saw damage to 13 planes. Naval forces also faced heavy targeting, with Bandar Abbas Naval Base—home to Iran’s navy—suffering multiple vessel and building strikes in the war’s early days. Smoke from damaged ships and administrative sections was visible on 4 March, while Konarak naval base also experienced significant ship losses.
IRGC Headquarters Under Fire
Images reveal extensive damage to the IRGC’s naval command center and general headquarters in Tehran’s eastern suburbs. Gen Alireza Tangsiri, the naval force’s commander, was killed in an Israeli operation in late March. Experts say Iran’s conventional forces, though weakened, still retain the ability to retaliate through missile and drone strikes.
Iran's Strategic Resilience
Zev Faintuch from Global Guardian noted that Iran’s defensive capacity hinges more on its missile and drone capabilities than its traditional military forces. "Iran's ability to defend itself stems less from its conventional forces, such as its air force, than from its capacity to conduct counterstrikes via missiles or drones," he explained. Meanwhile, Raphael Cohen of the RAND School of Public Policy highlighted Iran’s "mosquito fleet" of small, fast vessels, which continue to threaten US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite evidence also points to Tehran repairing at least four ballistic missile bases, including road clearances and tunnel excavations at Tabriz missile base.