Video released by Iran’s state media (Video/X)
Iranian state media released a footage showing its underground tunnels filled with naval drones, anti-ship missiles and sea mines inside what Tehran has described as a hidden “missile city.”The video also showed a naval drone being fired from a tanker, triggering a large explosion and sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky.
Earlier, Iran’s military claimed that it has a massive stockpile of suicide drone boats that could be used to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway for global trade and oil shipments.The naval drones have already emerged as a significant threat to tankers and other shipping vessels navigating the strategic maritime route. These small explosive-laden boats travel either just below or on the surface of the water and are designed for one-way “kamikaze” strikes, according to the New York Post.Because of their low profile and ability to move quickly, these drones can be difficult to detect and defend against, especially during night-time operations.Click here for live updates on Day 15 of war Iranian-made naval drones have also been used by Houthi movement fighters in Yemen, targeting commercial vessels travelling through the vital Red Sea shipping route. Ukraine has also deployed similar drones in its war with Russia, where they have been used to attack naval assets.Security analysts say Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) are increasingly being used in modern warfare because traditional counter-drone systems designed for aerial threats are often ineffective against waterborne targets.The footage released by Iran also showcased a wide range of weapons inside the underground facility. Defence experts cited by CNN said the underground tunnel showed Ababil-2 and Ababil-3 kamikaze drones, Shahed-136 drones, explosive-laden Zolfaqar drone boats, Ghadir anti-ship cruise missiles with a range of about 190 miles, Nasr-1 precision anti-ship missiles and Khalij Fars anti-ship ballistic missiles.The weapons stockpile also included Maham acoustic and magnetic sea mines and Sadaf-02 contact sea mines that can be deployed in key shipping routes.Brigadier General Ali Fadavi, deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Iran possesses missiles capable of being fired from underwater and warned they could be used in the coming days.“We have missiles that are fired from underwater, and their speed is 100 meters per second, and we may use them in the coming days,” he told Iranian state television.Authorities in Tehran have suggested that oil prices could surge to as high as $200 a barrel if the waterway is blocked.Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also issued a warning to the United States and Israel, saying any attack on Iranian territory would trigger a severe response.“Any aggression against the soil of Iranian islands will shatter all restraint. We will abandon all restraint and make the Persian Gulf run with the blood of invaders,” he said.Iran has previously showcased its underground military bases, often referred to as “missile cities.” In early 2025, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unveiled several such facilities along the Gulf coast, displaying large bays designed to house suicide drone boats, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles mounted on mobile launchers.The earliest public reference to Iran’s underground missile bases dates back to March 2021, when the IRGC released footage showing rows of anti-ship missiles and electronic warfare systems stored deep underground. Tehran said these facilities are designed to protect its arsenal from aerial or naval bombardment.
