Washington is ramping up pressure on Iran as Operation Epic Fury enters its critical phase. Pentagon officials have hinted at intensifying airstrikes alongside Israel to dismantle Tehran’s military backbone, targeting missile sites, naval assets, and production facilities.
At the US Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the operation’s early successes. Speaking to over 50,000 troops involved, he highlighted precise attacks that have neutralized much of Iran’s navy, secured air and sea dominance, and crippled missile infrastructure. ‘In just days, you’ve executed dangerous precision strikes, rendering their navy combat-ineffective and dominating the skies and seas,’ Hegseth declared during a press conference.
Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, detailed the campaign’s momentum on its sixth day. US bombers struck nearly 200 targets inside Iran over the past 72 hours, including areas near Tehran. Stealth B-2 bombers dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers in the last hour alone. Strikes also hit Iran’s space and missile operations, significantly reducing threats to Americans.
Ballistic missile attacks from Iran have plummeted 90% since day one, with drone assaults down 83%. Naval operations have sunk or destroyed over 30 Iranian vessels, including a massive drone carrier now ablaze. The mission now shifts to obliterating Iran’s ballistic missile industrial base, ensuring they cannot rebuild their arsenal.
Hegseth affirmed the US has ample resources for a sustained campaign, with defensive and offensive stockpiles ready. He dismissed online rumors of a downed F-15 jet as falsehoods, vowing CENTCOM would continue debunking propaganda. ‘Our capabilities are vast and growing; the timeline is ours to control,’ he stated.
The operation, launched February 28 amid rising tensions from Iranian attacks on 12 regional nations, enjoys growing support from partners. Cooper emphasized joint US-Israeli forces fighting to victory. Long-standing concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and missile programs underpin this escalation, with both Washington and Jerusalem determined to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.