Centcom Chief: Epic Fury Achieved All Objectives vs Iran

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that U.S. forces achieved all military objectives in Operation Epic Fury, a nearly 40-day campaign that severely degraded Iran's defense industrial base, naval capabilities and support for regional proxy groups.

Cooper testified that the operation, which concluded with a ceasefire on April 7, destroyed or damaged about 90 percent of Iran's facilities for producing missiles, drones and naval assets. "In less than 40 days, Centcom forces achieved our military objectives," he said, adding that the strikes rolled back decades of Iranian military investment and crippled Tehran's ability to project power beyond its borders. He noted that Iran previously launched large-scale missile barrages at Israel in April and October 2024 but can no longer attack with that mass and scale.

The campaign targeted ballistic missile sites, weapons factories, drone launch facilities, air defenses and naval infrastructure, including more than 700 strikes on over 8,000 naval mines and the destruction of 161 Iranian vessels across 16 classes. Cooper assessed that Iran's navy will require five to 10...