Satellite Images Show Iran’s Military Airlift Burning—C-130s, Il-76s and 747s Destroyed

Satellite imagery appears to confirm significant losses to Iran’s military transport aviation fleet at two key airfields, according to open-source intelligence analysts, according to analysis conducted by Soar and OSINT researcher Samir on March 9.

New data indicate that several aircraft central to Iran’s military logistics capability were destroyed at Shiraz International Airport and Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport.

At Shiraz Shahid Dastgheib International Airport, satellite images reportedly confirm the destruction of two C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft and one Il-76 heavy cargo plane. These aircraft have long served as a backbone of Iran’s military airlift capability, enabling the rapid transport of troops, equipment, and supplies.

Even heavier losses appear to have occurred at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, which hosts both civilian and military aviation assets. According to the analysis, at least three Boeing 747 aircraft and three Il-76 transports were destroyed at the airfield.

These aircraft were reportedly used for strategic cargo transport and aerial refueling missions, both of which are critical for sustaining long-distance military operations.

Satellite imagery also suggests that additional aircraft may have been damaged at Mehrabad. Analysts believe that several An-72 transport aircraft and Boeing 707 tanker aircraft parked at the airfield may have been hit, though the exact number of damaged planes is still being assessed.

The C-130 Hercules fleet in Iran dates back to the period before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when the United States supplied large amounts of military equipment to Tehran.

By the early 2020s, Iran was believed to operate roughly 15 to 20 C-130 aircraft, many of which remained airworthy through a combination of cannibalizing parts from retired airframes and locally improvised manufacturing.

Iran’s use of Boeing 747 aircraft for military purposes has long been unusual. The country was one of the few operators globally to use cargo and tanker variants of the aircraft for military logistics. In total, no more than five Boeing 747 aircraft were believed to be in service across Iran’s air force and airlines linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

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The Il-76 heavy transport aircraft entered Iranian service through several channels, including Iraqi aircraft that flew to Iran during the 1991 Gulf War.

Prior to the reported losses, Iran’s fleet was estimated at around a dozen Il-76 aircraft, which played an important role in transporting military equipment to allied forces across the region.

A satellite image of Mehrabad Airport dated March 7, 2026, published by analyst Shayan Sardarizadeh, shows extensive damage to aircraft parked on the airfield.

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Iran’s Boeing 707 aircraft have also played a critical role as aerial refueling tankers. Only three to four of these aircraft were believed to remain operational, meaning the loss of even a single tanker could significantly impact Iran’s long-range air operations.

Meanwhile, An-72 transport aircraft, primarily used by IRGC aviation units, have always existed in limited numbers. With an estimated fleet of no more than eight aircraft, the destruction of several of them could represent a noticeable reduction in transport capacity for elite Iranian units.

Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine will send its first group of military experts to the Middle East next week to assist Gulf countries in countering Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones.

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