On the evening of March 18, Israel conducted strikes on Iranian naval assets located in the Caspian Sea.
These attacks targeted the Iranian Navy's Northern Fleet and naval infrastructure in the port city of Bandar Anzali and at sea.
The strikes are noted as the first against Iran's Northern Fleet.
Targeted Assets
Video analysis indicates that several Iranian vessels were destroyed. Identified casualties include:
- The Moudge Class frigate IRINS Deylaman (F78), reportedly the sole ship of its class in the Caspian Sea.
- Four Sina Class fast attack craft, likely Derfash (P223), Paykan (P224), Joshan (P225), and Separ (P234), which are active members of the Northern Fleet's 4th Naval Region.
- The IRGC Navy’s Nasser Class auxiliary Martyr Basir (117), which is equipped with Zafar/C704 anti-ship missiles.
- A number of smaller speed boats and patrol craft.
- Dockside facilities and weapons stores within Bandar Anzali were also destroyed.
Rationale for the Strikes
Israeli sources indicate that the primary objective of these strikes was not to disrupt trade in arms and ammunition between Iran and Russia across the Caspian Sea, for which Bandar Anzali serves as a hub.
The strikes are assessed to have been prompted by a national security imperative related to the support and protection of Azerbaijan, with whom Israel maintains a defense cooperation agreement.
Iran-Azerbaijan Tensions
Recent weeks have seen increased tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan. This includes an Arash-2 drone attack by Iran on Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan International Airport, which resulted in damage to a terminal building and injuries to two civilians. Following this incident, Azerbaijan closed its land border with Iran.
Historically, Iran has displayed an assertive posture towards Azerbaijan, issuing directives and making policy announcements without coordination. Notable past incidents include a January 2023 attack on the Azeri Embassy in Tehran, which resulted in a fatality, and attempts to establish a Hezbollah-type organization within Azerbaijan.
Relations have not stabilized since the Nakhchivan attack and the subsequent border closure. The Israeli action may be intended to reduce Iran's capacity to threaten Azerbaijan and to potentially enable the Azeri navy to control the Iranian-Russian sea channel that traverses Azeri territorial waters.