Joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel have rattled many missile sites and wider military installations in Iran, including Chabahar, which has air and naval bases, and a port that is important to India. Reports say that the port city was rocked by two explosions (so far) in a span of a few hours.
This operation has, in turn, sent shockwaves throughout the wider Middle East, as Iran retaliated with airstrikes of its own on US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar. One person in the UAE was reportedly killed due to shrapnel from a missile blast.
NEW: Military bases in Chabahar and Kanark were hit. According to sources, several powerful explosions occurred at missile bases around the Chabahar region. pic.twitter.com/GC8VLQNdiJ
— Levent Kemal (@leventkemaI) February 28, 2026
This comes after the Iranian Navy's 103rd naval group docked at the port on Friday after “conducting a 100-day mission and covering about 13,000 nautical miles”, as per a Mathrubhumi report.
Located along the Gulf of Oman, the Chabahar Port—an important part of the International North-South Transport Corridor that was once called a "golden gate" by PM Modi—is a vital trade link for India with Afghanistan, Central Asia, and parts of Russia. Its strategic position ensures this link is able to circumvent Pakistan's waters as well.
Numerous airstrikes across Iran reported this morning as US and Israeli forces begin a major campaign against the country. pic.twitter.com/15CgXMUB8O
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 28, 2026
India's interests in the port lie mainly with the Shahid Beheshti Terminal, which it manages which it manages under a ten-year agreement (signed in 2024) between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), a public sector firm, and Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation (PMO).
Notably, the port was also granted a six-month US sanctions waiver about four months ago in October after much negotiation, which is set to expire in April this year. The conflict between the US-Israel forces and Iran is then expected to complicate matters in terms of Washington's sanctions pressure on Tehran.
However, amid tensions in the Middle East, India's Budget this year—announced earlier this month—cut the annual Rs 100-crore-fund for the port project for the first time since New Delhi's development deal in 2024.
