Iran has unveiled an underground naval base able to taking up “enemies big and small”.
Footage broadcast on state TV reveals numerous speedboats lined up in what seems to be an underground tunnel.
It’s reportedly a part of a “secret” base constructed at a depth of 500m at an undisclosed location within the Gulf.
State TV confirmed Revolutionary Guards chief Normal Hossein Salami visiting the bottom with naval arm commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri.
It comes as Iranian leaders worry US president-elect Donald Trump, who will take over from Joe Biden following his inauguration in Washington later right now, would possibly empower Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike Iran’s nuclear websites.
Picture:
The underground tunnel with velocity boats in it. Pic: AP
Within the footage, Gen Salami mentioned the bottom was one in every of a number of constructed underground for vessels able to launching long-range missiles and finishing up distant warfare.
“We assure the great nation of Iran that their young people are capable of coming out honourable and victorious from a battle on the seas against enemies big and small,” he mentioned.
State TV confirmed tunnels with lengthy rows of what it mentioned have been a brand new model of Taregh-class radar-evading speedboats which might launch cruise missiles.
It additionally broadcast footage of the speedboats firing rockets at targets at sea.
“The massive amount (of equipment) we saw today is a small portion of the power of the revolutionary guard’s naval force, developed over the past years,” Gen Salami mentioned.
Iran has not too long ago carried out navy drills amid hypothesis of an assault by Israel, with the guard holding two air defence drills close to key nuclear services in Natanz and Fordo.
Israel and Iran have traded strikes for the reason that Hamas assaults on 7 October 2023, with neither facet showing to need a full-scale battle.
The previous yr has seen Iranian proxy forces together with in Gaza (Hamas), Lebanon (Hezbollah) and Yemen (Houthi rebels) assault Israeli and different Western property within the area as a part of the so-called Axis of Resistance in retaliation for the scenario in Gaza – the place, based on native authorities, greater than 46,000 persons are reported to have been killed in Israel’s 15-month navy marketing campaign.
