The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on X that the Iranian regime no longer has a naval presence in the Gulf of Oman, following a series of military operations amid the ongoing conflict.
"Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman; today it has none," reported the U.S. military agency.
In the same message, he stated that "the Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international maritime transportation in the Gulf of Oman for decades" and added emphatically: "Those days are over."
The statement also emphasized the strategic importance of the area and justified the military action on the grounds of defending global navigation.
"Maritime freedom of navigation has supported American and global economic prosperity for over 80 years. American forces will continue to defend it," the message concludes.
The CENTCOM statement comes amid an unprecedented military escalation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, within the framework of the so-called Epic Fury Operation, launched on February 28.
According to the administration of President Donald Trump, the offensive aims to neutralize Iran's capability to manufacture and deploy ballistic missiles and attack drones, as well as to eliminate what Washington considers an imminent threat.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently warned that the campaign is far from over and that the most powerful attacks have yet to be executed.
He asserted that the strategic purpose is to destroy Iran's missile infrastructure and reduce its ability to project power in the region, including threats to international maritime transport.
According to the Pentagon, the decision to act was based on assessments indicating that waiting for an initial Iranian attack would have resulted in greater human losses.
The U.S. administration maintains that the operation was inevitable and that postponing it would have allowed Tehran to consolidate military capabilities that would complicate any future response.
CENTCOM itself also confirmed that the number of U.S. military personnel killed in the conflict has risen to six, following the recovery of the bodies of two service members who had been missing since the initial Iranian attacks on facilities in the region.
"Until 4 PM ET on March 2, six U.S. service members have died in action," the organization reported, also noting that "significant combat operations continue."
In parallel, President Trump described Operation Epic Fury as one of the largest and most complex carried out in decades.
According to the White House, more than 1,000 Iranian targets were attacked by air and sea within the first 36 hours, including nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, Revolutionary Guard barracks, and air defense systems.
The offensive has left hundreds dead in Iranian territory, according to reports from the Red Crescent, and has led to the closure of airports in the Persian Gulf, in addition to impacting key energy infrastructure in the region.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have rejected any possibility of negotiation and a provisional leadership council has been established following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic since 1989.
CENTCOM's assertion regarding the disappearance of the Iranian fleet in the Gulf of Oman marks a significant point in the development of the conflict, especially in a strategic area through which a substantial portion of global energy trade passes.
The evolution of operations and Iran's response will determine whether this phase marks a lasting change in the regional naval balance or another episode in an ongoing confrontation.
Filed under: