Washington: The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday that US forces will continue efforts to 'rapidly deplete Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz.'
According to Anadolu Agency, CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper emphasized the US military's focus on clearly defined objectives, which include eliminating Iran's ballistic missiles, drones, and naval threats. He stated, "It's one thing to defend by striking launchers and intercepting missiles and drones, but it's another thing to eliminate the wider manufacturing apparatus behind them. And we are doing that today."
In a video shared on CENTCOM's official account on the US social media platform X, Cooper provided an update on Operation Epic Fury. He reported that US forces carried out a 'large-scale precision strike on Kharg Island,' successfully destroying 'more than 90 Iranian military targets.'
Cooper highlighted that US and allied strikes aim to achieve 'clear military objectives' to weaken Iran's ability to project power across the region, addressing Tehran's long-standing threat to commercial navigation through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
He further mentioned the involvement of over 6,000 combat sorties by Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps aviators, underscoring the joint force's sustained 'air superiority over Iranian skies.'
Adm. Cooper presented before-and-after images of targeted Iranian military sites, including a naval drone storage facility near the Strait of Hormuz, an attack drone production factory in Tehran, and a military depot linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile infrastructure.
He also noted that joint air, land, and maritime operations have "successfully destroyed over 100 Iranian naval vessels," stressing that 'we aren't done.'
Cooper accused Iran of conducting more than 300 attacks across the region over the past two weeks, stating that these attacks 'demonstrate their true nature as a global leader of terror.'
The video statement condemned a recent strike on civilian neighborhoods in Tel Aviv using cluster munitions and mentioned that regional partners were collaborating to strengthen defenses.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a focal point of energy market concerns since the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps imposed restrictions on most vessels amid US-Israeli attacks against Iran that began on February 28. Before the conflict, approximately 20 million barrels of oil traversed the strait daily, and its disruption has led to increased oil prices.
US-Israeli attacks on Iran have resulted in around 1,300 fatalities, including the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.