Planet Labs imagery reveals damaged 750-foot vessel consistent with Iranian Navy’s Makran-class forward base ship
Iranian retaliation could disrupt shipping from the Strait of Hormuz
ClearView Energy Partners’ Kevin Book analyzes the potential impacts of U.S. strikes in Iran on global oil prices on ‘Special Report.’
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Satellite images released Monday show fires burning and vast plumes of black smoke rising from Iran’s main naval headquarters at Bandar Abbas, with at least one vessel ablaze following a strike.
The images, from Planet Labs, were released within days of the U.S. and Israel launching targeted strikes on Iran, and ahead of President Donald Trump saying he would not rule out sending U.S. troops into Iran if “necessary” amid Operation Epic Fury.
The escalation comes as commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively stalled, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward AI.
Bandar Abbas fires rage at Iran’s main naval headquarters (PLANET LABV)
According to the Times of Israel, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander also said the Strait of Hormuz was closed Monday, with Iran claiming it would set fire to any vessel trying to pass.
Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin confirmed, citing CENTCOM, that the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
A senior U.S. military official said Iran is neither patrolling nor enforcing its claimed “closure,” and there has been no evidence of mines in the waterway. However, commercial vessels are navigating the area cautiously.
The official noted this is not the first time Iran has announced plans to close the strait, describing the move as a “pressure tactic” intended to stoke fear. The official added that Tehran is unlikely to mine the waterway, given that roughly 80% of its oil exports are shipped to China.
Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, occupies a key position along the Strait of Hormuz and the port is a key base serving as the headquarters of the Iranian Navy.
FROM MISSILES TO MINERALS: THE STRATEGIC MEANING BEHIND THE IRAN STRIKE
A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025/Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
“As of 10:56 a.m. GMT on March 2, 2026, the Port of Bandar Abbas is experiencing multiple active fires, including one aboard a berthed vessel, while maintaining a significant combined military and commercial presence at port facilities,” Windward AI reported.
“Three distinct fires are currently reported in the vicinity. Two are located at port infrastructure facilities, and one involves a vessel currently at berth.”
Seventeen military vessels and five commercial ships remained docked despite the fires, the firm said, noting that the continued military concentration suggests “a heightened defensive posture rather than evacuation.”
Windward warned that active fires at Iran’s principal naval and commercial port introduce “additional operational uncertainty” and raise the risk of secondary maritime disruption across the Gulf.
Video footage also shared by Iran International appeared to show an attack targeting Iranian naval air facilities in Bandar Abbas.
KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES
Naval units from Iran and Russia simulate the rescue of a hijacked vessel during joint drills at the Port of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan, Iran, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Iranian Army/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify identified a damaged vessel about 230 meters (750 feet) long — consistent, it said, with a Makran-class forward base ship operated by the Iranian Navy.
The Makran, a converted tanker measuring about 228 meters, is also a mobile maritime base and helicopter carrier capable of deploying up to five helicopters and fast-attack boats.
The strike at Iran’s naval HQ came on the third day of open conflict, with U.S. Central Command saying it had sunk 11 Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
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“Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO,” CENTCOM said on X.
Trump has said “annihilating” Iran’s naval forces is a core objective of Operation Epic Fury, and that the U.S. has destroyed nine Iranian naval ships so far.
Fires rage at Iran’s Bandar Abbas naval headquarters, Strait of Hormuz traffic stalled
Satellite images released Monday show fires burning and vast plumes of black smoke rising from Iran’s main naval headquarters at Bandar Abbas, with at least one vessel ablaze following a strike.
The images, from Planet Labs, were released within days of the U.S. and Israel launching targeted strikes on Iran, and ahead of President Donald Trump saying he would not rule out sending U.S. troops into Iran if “necessary” amid Operation Epic Fury.
The escalation comes as commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively stalled, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward AI.
Us Surges Forces To Middle East As Pentagon Warns Iran Fight ‘Will Take Some Time’
According to the Times of Israel, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander also said the Strait of Hormuz was closed Monday, with Iran claiming it would set fire to any vessel trying to pass.
Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin confirmed, citing CENTCOM, that the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
A senior U.S. military official said Iran is neither patrolling nor enforcing its claimed “closure,” and there has been no evidence of mines in the waterway. However, commercial vessels are navigating the area cautiously.
The official noted this is not the first time Iran has announced plans to close the strait, describing the move as a “pressure tactic” intended to stoke fear. The official added that Tehran is unlikely to mine the waterway, given that roughly 80% of its oil exports are shipped to China.
Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, occupies a key position along the Strait of Hormuz and the port is a key base serving as the headquarters of the Iranian Navy.
From Missiles To Minerals: The Strategic Meaning Behind The Iran Strike
“As of 10:56 a.m. GMT on March 2, 2026, the Port of Bandar Abbas is experiencing multiple active fires, including one aboard a berthed vessel, while maintaining a significant combined military and commercial presence at port facilities,” Windward AI reported.
“Three distinct fires are currently reported in the vicinity. Two are located at port infrastructure facilities, and one involves a vessel currently at berth.”
Seventeen military vessels and five commercial ships remained docked despite the fires, the firm said, noting that the continued military concentration suggests “a heightened defensive posture rather than evacuation.”
Windward warned that active fires at Iran’s principal naval and commercial port introduce “additional operational uncertainty” and raise the risk of secondary maritime disruption across the Gulf.
Video footage also shared by Iran International appeared to show an attack targeting Iranian naval air facilities in Bandar Abbas.
Key Military Sites Targeted Inside Iran As Part Of Coordinated Us-israeli Strikes
Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify identified a damaged vessel about 230 meters (750 feet) long — consistent, it said, with a Makran-class forward base ship operated by the Iranian Navy.
The Makran, a converted tanker measuring about 228 meters, is also a mobile maritime base and helicopter carrier capable of deploying up to five helicopters and fast-attack boats.
The strike at Iran’s naval HQ came on the third day of open conflict, with U.S. Central Command saying it had sunk 11 Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
Click Here To Download The Fox News App
“Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO,” CENTCOM said on X.
Trump has said “annihilating” Iran’s naval forces is a core objective of Operation Epic Fury, and that the U.S. has destroyed nine Iranian naval ships so far.
Original article source: Fires rage at Iran’s Bandar Abbas naval headquarters, Strait of Hormuz traffic stalled
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Satellite image shows Iran’s largest naval vessel, a tanker-turned-warship, smoking in port
- Satellite imagery captured Monday shows Iran’s biggest warship on fire at a military port.
- The IRINS Makran is a large tanker that was converted into a forward base ship.
- US officials said the Iranian navy was a priority target at the start of the conflict.
Newly captured satellite imagery from the ongoing conflict with Iran shows it’s biggest warship — a former oil tanker converted into a floating base — on fire at a military port.
The imagery, captured on Monday by the US commercial imaging firm Planet Labs PBC and obtained by Business Insider, shows a massive plume of smoke rising from what analysts identified as the IRINS Makran in the harbor at Bandar Abbas, an Iranian port city adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz and the Makran’s home port.
President Donald Trump vowed on Saturday to “annihilate” Iran’s navy as he announced the start of “major combat operations” against the country.
US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, said on Monday that it has destroyed all 11 of Iran’s ships in the Gulf of Oman. It was not immediately clear if that tally includes the Makran.
Commercial satellite imagery captured by US spatial intelligence firm Vantor on Sunday showed destroyed and sinking vessels, as well as damaged buildings at the Iranian naval base in Konarak.
Iran converted the Makran, an oil tanker, into a forward base ship in 2020 and commissioned the vessel into the navy the following year. Technically not a combat ship, it is still Iran’s largest warship and can carry roughly a dozen helicopters.
The deck can accommodate missile and rocket artillery launchers, as well as vertical takeoff and landing drones. The vessel has completed several long-distance voyages, including one that circled the globe.
The Makran is one of several Iranian warships that were once civilian vessels. In recent years, Tehran has converted several container ships into militarized drone carriers.
CENTCOM said it struck one of these vessels, the Shahid Bagheri, in the opening hours of the conflict over the weekend. The carrier’s status is unknown.
The US strikes initially focused on Iran’s naval forces, command and control facilities, intelligence infrastructure, and ballistic missile sites, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Monday.
US and Israeli aircraft have also targeted Iranian air defenses, paving the way for both militaries to secure air superiority over large parts of the country.
Additional satellite imagery shows widespread damage across Iran, including at drone and air bases, official compounds, and missile bases. Other military infrastructure, such as radar systems, was also struck.
Iran has retaliated by launching waves of missiles and drones at bases hosting US forces across the Middle East, Israel, and most other countries in the region, including the Gulf states.
The US and its allies have said that they have intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones. Some have slipped past air defenses, though, killing more than a dozen people across the region, including six American service members.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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Hormuz erupts: Attacks, GPS jamming, Houthi threats rock Strait amid US-Israeli strikes
The Strait of Hormuz region became a flashpoint Sunday after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury triggered electronic warfare activity and multiple “attacks” on vessels along one of the world’s most critical energy waterways, according to reports.
The sudden escalation followed a Feb. 28 warning from U.S. maritime authorities urging commercial vessels to avoid strategic waterways if possible, including the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, citing heightened security risks.
“It is recommended that vessels keep clear of this area if possible,” the advisory warned.
“The Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters are the most dangerous place right now for commercial shipping,” Jakob P. Larsen, head of maritime security at Bimco, told Fox News Digital.
“Ships in the Persian Gulf are under threat from Iranian attacks,” Larsen said.
Historic Us-israel Strikes On Iran Underway As Tehran Faces Regime Survival Test
“To protect themselves, most ships stay as far away from Iran as they can,” he added before describing how ships are “trying to depart from the Persian Gulf to get away from the threat.”
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and regional authorities reported multiple maritime incidents listed as “attacks” Sunday.
One vessel west of Sharjah, UAE, was rocked by an explosion from an unknown projectile that detonated close alongside, and another tanker north of Muscat, Oman, was struck above the waterline, sparking a fire that was later brought under control, according to data.
A third vessel northwest of Mina Saqr, UAE, was also hit by a projectile that ignited a blaze aboard, the organization reported.
Compounding the physical threats is a surge in electronic warfare with maritime intelligence firm Windward reporting widespread GPS and Automatic Identification System (AIS) interference, impacting 1,000-plus ships.
Iran Fires Missiles At Us Bases Across Middle East After American Strikes On Nuclear, Irgc Sites
Windward cited widespread navigation disruption near Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, with ships falsely appearing at airports, a nuclear power plant and inland locations.
Several new AIS jamming clusters were also identified across Emirati, Qatari, Omani and Iranian waters, Windward said.
Major shipping company Maersk announced it would reroute some services away from the region, citing crew and cargo safety.
Roughly 20% of global oil and gas exports pass through the Strait, and traffic has already thinned, with some tankers reversing course or switching off AIS signals.
Industry groups also warned of Houthi retaliation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, while analysts cautioned that Iran could seize vessels tied to U.S. or Israeli interests.
“The Houthis have threatened to resume attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden,” Larsen explained.
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Ships with business connections to U.S. or Israeli interests are considered more likely targets, though others could be struck deliberately or in error, he said.
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Tanker owners’ association Intertanko also warned members that “the expectation is that the Houthis may respond and recommence attacks on shipping,” although immediate intelligence remained unclear.
“There are no signs of Iranian attempts to close the Strait with sea mines or naval mines, although this can change at short notice,” Larsen added before confirming that GPS interference has “increased significantly following the initiation of hostilities.”
Original article source: Hormuz erupts: Attacks, GPS jamming, Houthi threats rock Strait amid US-Israeli strikes
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Fighting with Iran has spread to tankers at sea. Ships are coming under fire around the busy Strait of Hormuz.
Jake Epstein,Sinéad Baker
Updated Mon, March 2, 2026 at 3:58 AM GMT+7
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- Fighting between the US, Israel, and Iran is affecting vessels near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
- The UK has reported several vessels hit, and at least one tanker has been evacuated.
- Some major shipping companies are now avoiding the key oil route due to safety concerns.
Deadly fighting in the Middle East has spread to tankers around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, with multiple ships coming under fire on Sunday, opening up a new front in the conflict.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker Skylight (IMO 9330020) was “targeted” a few miles north of the Khasab port in Oman, the country’s Maritime Security Center said, adding that the 20-person crew was evacuated. At least four people were injured.
An official with Operation Aspides, the European Union’s counter-Houthi mission, told Business Insider that Omani authorities carried out the rescue operations.
The US Treasury Department sanctioned Skylight and more than two dozen other “shadow fleet vessels” in December for illegally moving Iranian oil.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Gulf Cooperation Council said it condemned the “brutal Iranian attacks” targeting the Duqm port in Oman and “an oil tanker off its coast.”
The incident marked the first time that a ship had come under fire since the US and Israel began a strike campaign against Iran on Saturday morning. Tehran has retaliated by launching missiles and drones across the Middle East.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, an element of the Royal Navy, has reported at least two additional attacks off the coast of Oman. Two vessels were struck by an “unknown projectile,” it said.
Iran has a history of carrying out attacks against ships near the Strait of Hormuz, including with its Shahed one-way attack drones, which have gained notoriety as Russia uses them extensively in Ukraine. Its proxies have also attacked commercial vessels.
The incidents underscore the new risk to shipping near the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow body of water between Iran and Oman is one of the world’s most important global trade routes, with about 20% of the world’s daily oil supply passing through it.
On Saturday, an Operation Aspides official said that ships had received radio transmissions from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stating that vessels were barred from entering the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the UKMTO said on Sunday that “no official closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been formally communicated to the maritime industry through recognized maritime safety channels.”
It said that the maritime safety situation in the region remained “highly volatile,” with the ongoing fighting creating an “elevated threat to commercial shipping.” Britain warned that vessels could face military miscalculation and electronic interference.
Some vessels are avoiding the Straight of Hormuz, with international shipping companies suspending transits until further notice. Marine traffic trackers showed a significant drop in traffic through the strait after the US and Israeli strikes began on Saturday.
Iran previously threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for any attacks or moves it deemed hostile by the US. A full blockade, or even a sufficiently dangerous environment to deter enough ships from traveling through, could send oil prices soaring.
Israel and Iran continued to trade strikes into Sunday. Retaliatory fire from Tehran has targeted more than half a dozen other Middle East countries, including bases hosting US troops across the region.