Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, US forces have struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including over 60 naval ships, US CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a Wednesday operational update.
The ships include the destruction of Iran’s last Shahid Soleimani-class warships on Tuesday, and an Iranian Navy Jamaran-class warship and several surface combatant ships during the first days of the operation.
He added that the US's mission is to end Iran’s ability to “project power” and harass international shipping crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The US has achieved “air superiority over vast swaths of Iran,” placing immense daily pressure on the regime, Cooper said, calling it a “testement to the strength of our iron clad alliances.”
Cooper further affirmed that the US is not only defending against Iranian threats, but is ”methodically dismantling them” by hitting missiles, drones, and the regime’s defense industrial bases.
Since the start of Epic Fury, the regime’s ballistic missile and drone attacks have “dropped drastically,” he said, describing the US’ strikes as “unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive.”
US uses AI tools to sort through data
Cooper also revealed that the US has employed a series of AI tools to aid in sifting through data “in seconds, so our leaders can cut through the noise and make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react.”
Even with AI to assist, he assured that people are the ones making the final decisions regarding what and when to shoot.
He futher added that the US Space Force has also been critical in the operation, “degrading Iranian capability” and protecting American forces fighting against Iran.
Despite its reduced ability to strike, Cooper noted that the regime continues to attack neighboring Gulf States and its civilians while “hiding behind their own people as they launch attacks from highly populated cities in Iran.”
“Its not just about what’s shooting at us today,” he said, “its also about eliminating the threat in the future.”
CENTCOM warns civilians to avoid ports where Iran's Navy operates
CENTCOM issued a warning to civilians to leave civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz that Iran's Navy is using to "conduct military operations that threaten international shipping," noting that US forces could not guarantee their safety in a Wednesday statement.
"This dangerous action risks the lives of innocent people," CENTCOM said, "Civilian ports used for military purposes lose protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law."
"Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment."