Military expert Vasily Dandykin, a retired first-rank captain, says Iran’s naval forces have taken heavy losses in recent days, but insists the country’s fleet has not been wiped out. In his view, Iran’s navy still poses a threat to the United States.

Dandykin noted that Tehran, according to his account, still has a frigate currently operating off the coast of India. He also said Iran had three Soviet-built submarines and that only one of them has been destroyed. He added that Iran retains a large number of maritime unmanned systems, which he believes could cause serious problems for U.S. forces.

He further suggested that Iran has kept the means to mine a strategic strait and argued that, despite the damage suffered, Tehran’s ability to carry out strikes at sea remains intact.

Earlier, military analysts reported that Iran’s navy had been almost completely destroyed by U.S. strikes during Operation Epic Fury. Those assessments claimed Tehran was not prepared for a full-scale war and that its fleet largely served ceremonial and diplomatic roles. The analysts also argued that Iran’s naval potential was effectively reduced to zero within just a few days.