In a devastating blow to Iran’s naval capabilities, United States forces have systematically dismantled key assets of the Islamic Republic’s Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval units during Operation Epic Fury. The multi-pronged offensive has resulted in the confirmed destruction or severe damage of at least 20 Iranian vessels, marking one of the most significant naval engagements in recent history.
According to confirmed reports from the Pentagon and statements by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the IRIS Dana, a Moudge-class corvette from Iran’s Southern Fleet, was sunk by a single Mark 48 ADCAP torpedo fired from a US submarine near Sri Lankan waters. The vessel, named after Mount Dena, carried approximately 140 crew members, with casualty numbers remaining uncertain as rescue operations were undertaken by the Sri Lankan navy.
Simultaneously, satellite imagery and social media footage confirmed the Shahid Soleimani-class corvette Shahid Sayyad Shirazi engulfed in flames near Bandar Abbas port following precision US strikes. The lead ship Shahid Soleimani and its sister vessel Shahid Hassan Bagheri were also confirmed destroyed during the operation.
The devastation extended across Iran’s naval hierarchy, with the drone carrier Shahid Bagheri severely damaged or sunk within the initial hours of combat. A Jamaran-class corvette was confirmed by US Central Command to be “sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman” at Chahbahar pier on March 1, 2026. The IRINS Makran, a massive converted tanker serving as a mobile forward base, was documented ablaze at its berth in Bandar Abbas through satellite imagery from March 2.
Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, revealed that hundreds of small craft—the backbone of Iran’s asymmetric naval strategy—were targeted at their moorings in Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Assaluyeh. Iran’s submarine fleet suffered equally catastrophic losses, with a Fateh-class coastal submarine rendered inoperable after sustaining direct damage near Bandar Abbas. Multiple Ghadir-class midget submarines were among the 17 vessels confirmed destroyed during the initial 100 hours of operations.
Heavy strikes involving B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles targeted submarine pens at Bandar Abbas, potentially trapping or disabling Iran’s three Russian-built Kilo-class submarines (Taregh, Nooh, and Yunes) through infrastructure destruction despite ongoing damage assessment.
The scale of destruction recalls historical naval defeats, though Iranian officials have yet to issue a comprehensive statement regarding the losses. Military analysts suggest this operation represents a fundamental reshaping of naval power dynamics in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters.