Israel Strikes Naval Cruise Missile Centers in Tehran and Sole Submarine Design Facility in Isfahan; WSJ: Anzali Port Attack Targeted Russia-Iran Arms Route

The Israeli army has announced that in recent days, its air force struck two main centers related to the production of naval cruise missiles in Tehran. According to an IDF statement on X, these facilities operated under the supervision of the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Defense and were used in the development and construction of long-range naval cruise missiles. On Wednesday, March 25 (5th of Farvardin), the Israeli army announced that it struck the sole center for designing and developing submarines and related naval systems belonging to the Islamic Republic's army, located in Isfahan. The IDF stated: "This strike significantly limits the regime's ability to produce new and advanced submarines for Iran's naval forces and to upgrade the existing fleet." The Wall Street Journal, citing informed sources, reports that Israel's attack last week on Anzali Port on the Caspian Sea coast was aimed at disrupting the supply route for transferring Russian ammunition, drones, and other weapons to Iran. According to the IDF, the attack on Anzali Port last Wednesday targeted dozens of targets including warships, a port, a command center, and a shipbuilding factory used for vessel maintenance and repair. That attack on March 18, 2026 (27th of Esfand 1404) was Israel's first strike on Iran's northern ports. The Wall Street Journal noted that the Caspian Sea route has gained importance for transferring Shahed drones — which are now also manufactured in Russia. US and Israeli officials have not yet responded to the report, but Eliezer Marom, former commander of the Israeli Navy, told the WSJ: "The most important goal of this strike was to limit Russian smuggling and to show the Iranians that they have no naval defense in the Caspian Sea."