JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An Israeli strike on Wednesday night on the Iranian fleet in the Caspian Sea was based on intelligence indicating that one of the vessels was carrying a sensitive shipment from Russia to Iran, according to a report by “The Independent” in Arabic.

According to the report, the shipment included drones and advanced electronic equipment. It was also stated, citing an Iranian source, that the attack was carried out following intelligence about the maritime convoy. It was further claimed that the brother of an acquaintance of the same source was on board the targeted ship, and that according to him, it was indeed carrying the said cargo.

An Israeli military official noted that this was the first time the Israeli Air Force had operated in the Caspian Sea region. According to him, several Iranian Navy warships were severely damaged in the strike. Arab sources reported that five large warships were hit and destroyed, along with an additional smaller vessel that was damaged. The strike reportedly took place near the port of Bandar Anzali, close to major Iranian oil and gas reserves.

Strikes on Bandar Anzali, Iran. pic.twitter.com/WjCOg5lL1m

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 18, 2026

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that Russia has expanded its intelligence and military cooperation with Iran, providing it with enhanced drone technology aimed at helping Tehran better target U.S. forces in the region.

According to the report, the assistance includes modified components for “Shahed” drones, designed to improve communication, navigation, and targeting capabilities. It was also stated that Russia is leveraging its operational experience in Ukraine to provide Iran with tactical guidance on drone deployment, usage patterns, and optimal flight altitudes. These details were provided by sources familiar with the matter, including a senior European intelligence officer.

In Gulf states, it is estimated that Russian assistance has helped Iran in recent attacks against American radar systems in the region. Among the mentioned targets were early warning systems supporting the THAAD system in Jordan, as well as additional targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. According to those sources, Iran has been able to better focus its attacks against U.S. forces and Gulf state assets in the current conflict, compared to the 12-day war last year.

It was also noted that the Iranian operational pattern, using drones to overload radar and air defense systems before launching missile strikes, is very similar to tactics developed by Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Although Russia and Iran do not have a formal military alliance, Tehran is considered Moscow’s closest partner in the Middle East. Russia is also one of Iran’s primary arms suppliers. Relations between the two countries have fluctuated since the fall of the Soviet Union but have significantly strengthened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two nations have established committees and working groups for military and security knowledge sharing, military delegations regularly visit each other, and their forces have even conducted joint exercises. Russia has also built and launched one of Iran’s recent satellite systems.

According to the report, when Russia began using drones extensively on the battlefield in Ukraine, dozens of Iranian officers traveled to Crimea to observe footage of the drones’ impact on Ukrainian cities and front lines. Ukraine claims that Russia has used more than 57,000 “Shahed” drones since the start of the war.

Since then, Moscow has expanded drone production, adapted them for more precise navigation and targeting, and improved their resistance to electronic jamming. According to the report, some of these capabilities are now being transferred back to Iran. However, it was noted that the extent of Russian assistance is limited, both due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the Kremlin’s desire to avoid escalating tensions with Trump.