Washington, March 11 (IANS) US forces have struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including more than 60 ships, since launching ‘Operation Epic Fury’, the top American commander overseeing the campaign has said, describing the operation as delivering sustained military pressure on Tehran’s capabilities.

Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of United States Central Command, said that the operation continues to expand as US forces intensify strikes across multiple domains. “In short, US forces continue delivering devastating combat power against the Iranian regime,” he said.

According to the commander, American forces have already conducted thousands of strikes targetting Iran’s military infrastructure.

“To date, we have struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including more than 60 ships, using a variety of precision weapon systems,” Cooper said. The targets include Iranian missile and drone capabilities, naval assets, and elements of the country’s defence industrial network.

“Every day, we’re striking hard at Iranian ballistic missiles and drones,” he said. The campaign is designed to neutralise current threats and reduce Iran’s ability to launch future attacks.

“Just last night, our bomber force hit a large ballistic missile manufacturing facility, as an example,” Cooper said. “Since the first 24 hours of this campaign, Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks have dropped drastically,” Cooper said.

Naval strikes have also played a major role in the operation. Cooper said the US military has neutralised key Iranian vessels believed to be involved in threatening maritime routes.

“We also took out the last of four Soleimani-class warships. That’s an entire class of Iranian ships now out of the fight,” he said.

The Commander described the strikes as “unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive.”

Air operations have involved waves of advanced fighters and bombers operating from multiple locations.

“From the air, we’ve achieved a concentration of air power with back-to-back waves of advanced fighters creating constant pressure on the enemy every single day,” Cooper said.

He also pointed to the increasing role of emerging technologies in modern warfare, including artificial intelligence systems used to analyse battlefield data rapidly.

“Our warfighters are leveraging a variety of advanced AI tools. These systems help us sift through vast amounts of data in seconds so our leaders can cut through the noise and make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react,” he said.

Cooper stressed that final targeting decisions remain with human commanders.

“Humans will always make final decisions on what to shoot and what not to shoot and when to shoot,” he said.

The operation is being conducted in coordination with regional allies and partners.

“Our dominance is not a solo effort. It’s a testament to the strength of our ironclad alliances,” Cooper said, noting that the United States continues to coordinate closely with Israel and partners across the Middle East.

“All told, despite this incredible progress, make no mistake, we remain highly vigilant,” he added.

Operation Epic Fury forms part of a broader US military campaign aimed at degrading Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities across the Middle East. The conflict has heightened tensions across the region as Washington seeks to counter threats to its forces and allies.

–IANS

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