Commercial satellite photos are detailing widespread damage to Iranian military sites after a coordinated U.S. and Israeli campaign began with a daytime strike in central Tehran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Smoke was seen rising from Khamenei’s compound after the attack.
Since that opening strike, U.S. and Israeli forces have struck targets across Iran. Social media and open-source investigators report hits on multiple military bases and compounds, and Iran has launched retaliatory attacks around the Middle East. U.S. forces have also engaged Iranian naval targets; President Trump posted that U.S. forces sank nine Iranian vessels, while U.S. Central Command confirmed striking an Iranian warship in port but did not immediately verify the full tally.
Satellite imagery shows burning ships at the Konarak naval base in southern Iran and damage at a nearby airbase where hardened aircraft shelters appear to have been struck by precision munitions. Several images capture an ablaze vessel at Konarak. Other photos reveal major destruction at a regional drone base, with buildings and support facilities heavily damaged.
Iran launched waves of drones and missiles toward Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Many of the incoming weapons were intercepted; videos and reporting indicate some bypassed defenses and hit targets in Gulf countries. Dubai’s authorities said debris from an Iranian drone damaged the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Iran’s longest-range missiles, which are commonly kept in mountain tunnel complexes, also appear to have been targeted. Satellite images from northern mountain areas show strikes on tunnel entrances and nearby positions during the opening attacks.
After Khamenei’s death, Iran declared 40 days of mourning. Satellite pictures captured large crowds in Tehran’s Enghelab Square. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told NPR Iran will continue to fight “foreign aggression, foreign domination.” A White House official told NPR that President Trump plans to speak with Iran’s interim leadership “eventually,” but for now U.S. operations in the region continue “unabated.”
Published imagery credits include Planet Labs PBC, Pléiades Neo (Airbus DS), and satellite images ©2026 Vantor.