American forces are widening air and naval strikes throughout Iran.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, mentioned Thursday that U.S. bomber forces have struck almost 200 targets throughout Iran previously three days whereas Iranian missile and drone assaults have dropped sharply for the reason that operation started.
“In simply the final 72 hours, America’s bomber power has struck almost 200 targets deep inside Iran, together with round Tehran,” Cooper mentioned throughout a briefing at U.S. Central Command Headquarters in Tampa, Fla.
The strikes are a part of Operation Epic Fury, a U.S. army marketing campaign launched Feb. 28 aimed toward degrading Iran’s potential to threaten American forces and allies within the area.
These assaults included B-2 bombers dropping dozens of two,000-pound penetrator bombs towards deeply buried ballistic missile launchers because the marketing campaign widened. Earlier within the battle, U.S. leaders mentioned strikes focused Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure as a part of a broader effort to stop Tehran from increasing its strategic weapons packages.
Iran’s Missile Barrage Slows as Strikes Intensify
Officers at U.S. Central Command mentioned the marketing campaign is already eroding Iran’s potential to strike again.
Ballistic missile launches from Iran have dropped 90% for the reason that operation started, whereas Iranian drone assaults have fallen 83%, in accordance with Cooper.
The sharp decline follows days of U.S. airstrikes hitting missile launchers, air protection methods and different army websites tied to Iran’s missile and drone forces.
Our air dominance permits us to hit Iran’s middle of gravity with overwhelming energy.
American and allied plane have continued flying strike missions because the marketing campaign enters its sixth day. Greater than 50,000 U.S. service members at the moment are concerned within the mission.
Iran and allied militia teams have fired missiles at Israel, Arab states and U.S. positions throughout the area for the reason that battle expanded, elevating issues a couple of broader regional struggle involving a number of international locations and armed factions.
Cooper mentioned the operation is designed to remove Iran’s potential to threaten People whereas sharply decreasing Tehran’s missile and drone assaults.
US Forces Hammer Iranian Navy
U.S. forces have additionally intensified strikes towards Iranian naval property as a part of the widening marketing campaign towards Tehran’s army infrastructure.
President Donald Trump mentioned earlier within the operation that American forces had destroyed 24 Iranian ships in the course of the opening part of the battle.
Cooper mentioned that quantity has since climbed to up over 30 ships as U.S. and allied plane and naval forces proceed hammering Iranian maritime targets.
“In simply the previous couple of hours, we hit an Iranian drone provider ship roughly the scale of a World Warfare II plane provider,” Cooper mentioned. “As we communicate, it’s on hearth.”
The naval combat has intensified throughout the area, with U.S. forces hanging Iranian warships and maritime property whereas Tehran has threatened to focus on army and financial infrastructure throughout the Center East in retaliation.
Officers mentioned the strikes are concentrating on Iranian naval vessels and the maritime capabilities supporting Tehran’s army operations. U.S. commanders mentioned crippling Iran’s naval capabilities is a key goal.
US Strikes to Destroy Iran’s Missile Arsenal
Officers mentioned the following part of the marketing campaign will give attention to dismantling Iran’s potential to rebuild its missile arsenal by concentrating on the nation’s ballistic missile industrial base.
Cooper mentioned the mission has expanded past destroying launch websites and stockpiles already deployed throughout the nation.
“The president gave us one other job to stage Iran’s ballistic missile industrial base,” Cooper mentioned. “So, we’re not simply hitting what they’ve. We’re destroying their potential to rebuild.”
Analysts have warned that whereas Iran’s army is outmatched by the USA, the nation retains the power to inflict important harm via missiles, drones and proxy forces working throughout the area.
Pentagon Refutes Iranian Claims
Hegseth additionally pushed again on a number of claims made by Iranian officers in regards to the battle, saying Tehran is spreading false stories about battlefield successes and American casualties.
One extensively circulated declare that an American F-15 fighter jet had been shot down was incorrect, he mentioned, dismissing it as a part of an Iranian propaganda marketing campaign.
As you may think about, Iran is doing all the things it could to hawk lies, deception and inflation of numbers. – Hegseth
Iranian officers have additionally claimed a whole lot of American troops have been killed, a determine U.S. officers say is totally unfaithful.
“These are lies,” Hegseth mentioned.
Pentagon officers mentioned such claims are widespread throughout conflicts and are sometimes aimed toward shaping home opinion inside Iran, the place authorities have restricted web entry and tightly managed details about the struggle.
Pentagon Vows to Maintain Hanging Iran
Pentagon officers indicated the marketing campaign towards Iran may proceed for a while as U.S. forces develop assaults throughout the nation.
Hegseth mentioned U.S. forces have the munitions and capabilities wanted to maintain the operation if needed.
“There’s no scarcity of munitions,” Hegseth mentioned. “Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons enable us to maintain this marketing campaign so long as we have to.”
U.S. officers mentioned the marketing campaign will proceed concentrating on missile, naval and army infrastructure tied to Iran’s capabilities.
Cooper mentioned the U.S. army has already demonstrated the dimensions and precision of its capabilities in the course of the opening part of the operation.
“What it takes to do that with the precision that we do is world class,” Cooper mentioned. “Nobody else can do it.”
