The Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, has declared that American forces are “ahead of our game plan” in the ongoing Operation Epic Fury, revealing that nearly 2,000 targets inside Iran have been struck in less than 100 hours.
Providing an operational update on the fourth day of the mission, Cooper said the large-scale offensive was launched by order of the U.S. President and the Secretary of War to neutralize what he described as Iran’s long-standing threats to American interests in the Middle East.
“I’m here to provide you an update on Operation Epic Fury, now on our fourth day of execution,” he began, noting that the campaign marks one of the largest U.S. military buildups in the region in decades.
Condolences and Commitment
The CENTCOM chief opened his briefing with condolences to families of fallen service members.
“I’d like to express my deepest condolences to the families and teammates of the extraordinary Americans who have been killed in action, and I’d also like to extend our prayers for a speedy recovery to the wounded,” Cooper said.
He added that he was immensely proud of American troops participating in the operation. “Having spent more than 36 years in the military, I could not be prouder of America’s sons and daughters in uniform who are answering the call.”
Massive Military Deployment
According to Cooper, more than 50,000 troops, 200 fighter aircraft, two aircraft carriers and U.S.-based bombers are currently involved in the operation, with additional capabilities en route.
“These forces bring a massive amount of firepower, representing the largest build-up by the U.S. in the Middle East in a generation,” he said.
In coordination with Israel, U.S. forces launched what Cooper described as “overwhelming and unprecedented strikes” into Iran at the onset of the mission.
“The first 24 hours of this operation were nearly double the scale” of the 2003 “shock and awe” strikes, he stated, adding that the campaign continues “24-7 … from seabed to space and cyberspace.”
2,000 Targets Hit
Less than 100 hours into the offensive, Cooper disclosed that U.S. forces had already struck nearly 2,000 targets using more than 2,000 munitions.
“We have severely degraded Iran’s air defences and destroyed hundreds of Iran’s ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones,” he said. “In simple terms, we’re focused on shooting all the things that can shoot at us.”
He confirmed that B-2 and B-1 bombers carried out “uncontested surgical strikes” on missile facilities deep inside Iran, while B-52 bombers targeted ballistic missile command and control posts.
Naval Dominance and Maritime Blockade
On the naval front, Cooper announced sweeping actions against Iranian maritime capabilities.
“We are also sinking the Iranian Navy. The entire Navy,” he declared. “Thus far, we’ve destroyed 17 Iranian ships, including the most operational Iranian submarine that now has a hole in its side.”
He added that no Iranian ship is currently operating in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Oman.
“For decades, the Iranian regime has harassed international shipping. Today, there’s not a single Iranian ship underway… And we will not stop,” he said.
Retaliation and Air Superiority
Cooper acknowledged that Iran had retaliated by launching more than 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones.
“To be clear, Iran is indiscriminately targeting civilians as they’ve launched these missiles and drones. You’ve seen it on TV. The evidence is crystal clear and overwhelming,” he stated.
Despite the counterattacks, the CENTCOM commander insisted Iran’s strike capability was diminishing.
“We are seeing Iran’s ability to hit us and our partners is declining, while our combat power, on the other hand, is building,” he said. “My overall operational assessment is that we are ahead of our game plan.”
He described the United States and Israel as “the two most powerful air forces in the world,” adding that they are “dominating the skies of the world’s largest state sponsor of terror.”
Historic Firsts in Combat
Cooper also revealed several firsts in U.S. military operations, including the combat deployment of long-range precision strike missiles known as “Prisms” by the U.S. Army.
“In a historic first, the U.S. Army fired long-range precision strike missiles… providing an unrivalled deep strike capability,” he said.
He further highlighted the role of CENTCOM’s drone task force, Task Force Scorpion Strike, which launched numerous one-way attack drones.
“I’d like to point out these drones were originally an Iranian design. We took them back to America, made them better, and fired them right back at Iran,” Cooper said.
‘We’ve Just Begun’
Reaffirming confidence in the mission, the CENTCOM chief said U.S. forces are executing “an immensely complex and historic mission with relentless lethality, conviction, and professionalism.”
“Our military objectives are crystal clear,” he said. “And we’ve just begun, but I have the utmost confidence that we, alongside our partners, will absolutely achieve our military objectives.”
“To all our warriors,” Cooper concluded, “Godspeed.”
