Newly released satellite imagery has exposed severe damage to "Eagle 44," Iran’s elite underground air force base located in a remote mountainous region of southern Iran. While the strikes occurred in late March 2026, the extent of the destruction is only now being made public.
Strategic Site Crippled
An analysis by the New York Times published today (Monday), reveals that high-precision strikes targeted the entrances of the tunnels leading to aircraft shelters buried deep beneath the mountain range. The imagery shows:
- Direct hits on tunnel portals: Massive impact craters were identified at the primary access points.
- Runway Obstruction: Access to the main takeoff strip has been completely severed, suggesting that advanced aircraft inside the complex may be trapped or "buried" within the facility.
- Support Infrastructure Destroyed: A building used for ongoing construction and maintenance on the site was leveled.
The Su-35 Connection
"Eagle 44," located in Hormozgan province about 160 km north of the Strait of Hormuz, was designed to be Iran's most resilient tactical airbase. In 2023, Tehran boasted the facility could house advanced Russian Su-35 fighter jets, along with F-4 Phantoms and a wide array of long-range attack drones.
Desperate Defenses
In a sign of Iranian paranoia following the strikes, the satellite photos also reveal small mounds of earth and obstacles placed along the remaining runway, a tactic likely used by the Iranian military to prevent enemy aircraft from attempting to land at the base.
While the specific actor behind the late-March attack remains unconfirmed, with neither Israel nor the United States claiming official responsibility, military experts note the precision required to collapse reinforced tunnel entrances suggests highly advanced subterranean-penetrating munitions.
