Israel carried out a rare and unprecedented airstrike last week on Iran's Bandar Anzali port on the Caspian Sea. The strike targeted an area hundreds of kilometers beyond the IDF's typical operational range, in a region long viewed as a secure "backyard" for both Iran and Russia.
According to the report, the attack, which took place last Wednesday, hit strategic infrastructure at the port used for transferring weapons, ammunition, and Shahed drones between Iran and Russia. In recent years, the Caspian Sea has emerged as a vital supply route for Moscow in its war against Ukraine and for Tehran in arming its regional proxies across the Middle East.
Security officials noted that, in addition to causing significant physical damage, the operation aimed to expose the vulnerabilities of Iran's maritime and air defenses, even in remote locations far from the influence of the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf.
Russia quickly condemned the action, warning against any "expansion of the fighting to the Caspian Sea area," which it described as an important civilian trade hub. Western assessments, however, suggest the strike will compel Iran and Russia to shift to alternative smuggling routes that are longer, more costly, and more exposed to disruption.
Israeli officials have not issued any official comment on the report.