'Iran's combat capability is in steady decline'

2026-03-21 - 15:25

US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper said on Saturday in an operational update video that "Iran's combat capability is on the steady decline as our offensive strikes ramp up." According to Cooper, US forces have so far struck "more than 8,000 military targets, including 130 Iranian vessels," calling it "the greatest destruction of a navy in a three-week period since World War II." Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/8yTLrVy4jk — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 21, 2026 Cooper added that "We are destroying thousands of Iranian missiles, advanced attack drones and the entirety of the Iranian fleet." He also said that two days ago, the US Army carried out "the longest field artillery strike in the Army's history," using precision-guided missiles that hit Iranian military infrastructure. The commander also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying that earlier this week US forces dropped "multiple 5,000-pound bombs" on a fortified underground facility along Iran's coast where the regime had stored "anti-ship cruise missiles, mobile missile launchers and additional equipment." Israeli strike in Iran. Photo: Reuters According to Cooper, the strike also destroyed "intelligence support sites and radar relay stations used to track ship movements." He added that "Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation around the Strait of Hormuz has been severely degraded, and we will not stop pursuing these targets." Cooper also addressed the air defense array, saying the US had built "the most extensive air defense umbrella ever established in the Middle East." According to him, Gulf partners had defended against "thousands of Iranian drone attacks," which he said was "clear evidence of the resilience of our partnerships as we operate shoulder to shoulder."