During the first 48 terrifying hours of Operation Epic Fury (February 28-29, 2026), the skies over Bandar Abbas and Chabahar suddenly lit up like daylight. Not fireworks – but hundreds of sparks from Tomahawk missiles, JᴀssM missiles, and precision-guided bombs from B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer stealth bombers.
Iran hadn’t had time to get its fleet out to sea. They hadn’t deployed a Kilo-class submarine, a Jamaran destroyer, or even a Makran drone carrier. Everything was reduced to ashes in the harbor.
What happened in those 48 hours?
According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and independent intelligence sources:
More than 130 Iranian warships were destroyed or neutralized – the largest number in modern history since World War II.
The entire IRGC Navy fleet at major ports was hit by a preemptive strike.
The Ghadir and Fateh-class submarines were blown up right in the harbor before they could even dive.
Iran’s largest drone carrier – the INS Makran – burst into flames after a barrage of Tomahawk missiles from a US destroyer. Video released by the US Department of Defense shows the má´€ssive vessel reduced to scrap metal in less than two hours.
An anonymous US Navy officer recounted:
“They were preparing to set sail to blockade Hormuz. We didn’t give them a chance. 48 hours, that’s it.”
Why didn’t Iran react in time?
Iran’s S-300 and Bavar-373 air defense systems were paralyzed within the first hour by electronic attacks and anti-radar missiles.
Coastal radars were completely blinded before they could detect the stealth aircraft.
A senior IRGC Navy commander was killed in precision airstrikes on Bandar Abbas headquarters.
The result: The Iranian fleet – once boasted by Tehran as “invincible” – is now just a pile of scrap metal submerged in the harbor. More than 50 warships were completely sunk in the opening phase alone. The rest are severely damaged and will be inoperable for years to come.
Immediate strategic consequences:
Iran is no longer able to blockade the Strait of Hormuz by navy.
Anchors and mines stockpiled were destroyed before they could be deployed.
Global oil prices surged in the first 48 hours, but then stabilized as the world realized: “The Iranian fleet is gone.”
General Brad Cooper, Commander of CENTCOM, declared:
“We have completely eliminated Iran’s naval capability. Not a single warship is operating in the Persian Gulf or the Indian Ocean.”
What did Iran say?
Tehran called it a “war crime” and boasted about several downed American drones. But satellite imagery and videos released by the U.S. itself revealed the harsh truth: the fleet they had built over decades had vanished into thin air in just 48 hours.
The 48 Hours of Fire was more than just a military operation. It was the clearest warning ever:
Anyone who dares threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz will pay with their entire navy.
