- Israel carried out airstrikes on Iranian Navy missile ships and infrastructure at a Caspian Sea port, marking its first such operation in the region under Operation “Roar of the Lion”.
- The strikes targeted vessels, a command center, and maintenance facilities, aiming to disrupt Iranian naval operations and control in the Caspian Sea.
The Israel Defense Forces said its Air Force, guided by naval and military intelligence, carried out strikes on Iranian Navy assets in the Caspian Sea, targeting missile ships and related infrastructure at a naval port in Iran.
The operation marked the first such strike in the Caspian Sea since the start of Operation “Roar of the Lion,” according to an official statement released on March 19, 2026.
The strikes come as Israel expands its operational reach against Iranian military infrastructure, addressing what it describes as ongoing Iranian naval activity supporting broader military operations. The targeting of naval assets in the Caspian Sea reflects an effort to disrupt Iranian maritime capabilities beyond more frequently contested regions.
According to the IDF, Israeli Air Force aircraft struck a series of key targets within a naval port used by the Iranian Navy, which operates under the Iranian Armed Forces. The port hosted dozens of military vessels, including missile ships and patrol boats, at the time of the attack.
Among the targets were naval combat vessels, including missile ships equipped with air defense systems and anti-submarine warfare capabilities, as well as auxiliary ships and patrol craft. The IDF also said it struck a central command facility used by Iranian naval forces to manage operations in the Caspian Sea, along with infrastructure used for maintenance and repair of naval vessels.
The military stated that the port had been used to support operational activity, which was disrupted as a result of the strikes on both infrastructure and vessels in the vicinity.
“The Air Force, guided by Naval Intelligence and the Intelligence Directorate, struck last night for the first time since the beginning of Operation ‘Roar of the Lion’ in the Caspian Sea, a series of central infrastructures of the Iranian Navy,” the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF described the operation as one of the most notable strikes conducted since the launch of the campaign, emphasizing coordination between Air Force and Navy commanders operating from the Air Force command center.
As described by the IDF, the targeted missile ships were equipped with onboard air defense systems and additional anti-submarine weapons, indicating their role in layered naval defense and maritime control operations. The destruction or damage of such vessels could affect the Iranian Navy’s ability to operate and coordinate activities in the Caspian Sea.
The strike also included infrastructure used to sustain naval operations, such as repair and maintenance facilities. Disrupting these capabilities can limit the operational readiness of naval units by reducing their ability to conduct repairs, resupply, and return to service.
According to the IDF, the central command facility targeted in the attack was responsible for coordinating Iranian naval activity in the Caspian Sea. Such facilities play a role in managing patrols, tracking maritime activity, and directing naval units across the region.
The IDF stated that the strike deepens damage to the Iranian regime’s capabilities and affects the Iranian Navy’s control over the maritime space in the Caspian Sea.