Iranian Navy Leaves Bandar Abbas in a Hurry

 

A number of the resident naval ships which steadfastly remained in harbor over the first two days of the conflict between Israel and Iran have been seen maneuvering and taking up positions in the Bandar Abbas roads.

A satellite pass over the Bandar Abbas Naval Harbor early on June 14 appears to have captured a picture of regular Iranian Navy (Nedaja) vessels from the Southern Fleet - which are home-based there - leaving in what appears to be confusion. A large number of vessels are leaving port simultaneously, and it appears from the wake of ships underway as if there was some competition to get to the harbor entrance first. 

With the imagery resolution available publicly on June 14, it is possible to identify some vessels in the anchorage. Two Hengam-Class landing ships can be seen already at anchor (image at top), presumably the two vessels which are currently operational, namely IRINS Tonb (L513) and Lavan (L514). Both a Moudge-Class and an Alvand-Class frigate are close by, neither yet anchored, as is the intelligence collection frigate IRINS Zagros (H313). The forward base ship IRINS Makran (K441) has left the outer harbor and its home pier, to which it appeared to have been welded for months.

In imagery from early on June 16, ships previously seen maneuvering two days before seem now settled at anchor in the Bandar Abbas roads. The drone carrier Shahid Bagheri (C110-4) from the IRGC Navy (Nedsa) can be seen at 27.06029546N 56.12818203E. Its sister ship Shahid Madhavi (C110-3) appears to be close by, also probably the Nedaja’s IRINS Makran now at 27.088804 56.302067. The only Nedaja vessels which can be seen still at the dockside in the Naval Harbor are those which have previously been identified as being under repair or maintenance, along with some fast attack craft.

As a dispersal strategy to protect against attack, moving ships out of home base ports to the immediately adjacent anchorage does not make much tactical sense. Some ships still linger, but it can be expected that most ships spotted early on the morning of June 14 will by now be on the move to new locations.