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The United States claimed to have destroyed 17 Iranian warships, including its "most operational" submarine, in less than 100 hours since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the military offensive launched against Iran that has already targeted nearly 2,000 strategic objectives.
The commander of the U.S. Central Command (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, provided a detailed update on the operation this Wednesday, now in its fourth day of execution.
"We are sinking the Iranian navy, the entire navy," he stated. According to him, there is "not a single Iranian ship sailing in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, or the Gulf of Oman."
Among the most symbolic actions is the torpedo sinking of an Iranian warship by a U.S. submarine in the Indian Ocean, the first attack of this kind since World War II.
Furthermore, Cooper confirmed that the most operational Iranian submarine "now has a hole in its side."
The offensive involves more than 50,000 soldiers, over 200 fighter jets, two carrier groups, and strategic bombers B-2, B-1, and B-52.
In the first 100 hours, more than 2,000 munitions have been used against nearly 2,000 targets, including air defense systems, ballistic missile bases, command and control centers, and drone platforms.
"The first day of this operation was nearly twice the scale of the ‘shock and awe’ campaign in 2003," Cooper stated. He added that the attacks are carried out “24 hours a day, seven days a week, from the seabed to space and cyberspace.”
Satellite images released by various media outlets show severe damage at naval bases such as Bandar Abbas and Konarak, as well as at missile facilities and complexes linked to the Iranian nuclear program, including Natanz.
Military analysts believe that the conventional capability of the Iranian navy has been severely degraded, although they warn that Tehran may resort to asymmetric tactics, naval mines, or drones to harass commercial shipping.
In retaliation, Iran has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones, according to U.S. data. A drone attack on a logistics facility in the Kuwaiti port of Shuaiba resulted in the deaths of six U.S. military personnel. Attacks against diplomatic missions and targets in the Gulf have also been reported.
Cooper stated that, despite the intensity of the Iranian attacks, their response capability "is decreasing," while U.S. combat power "is increasing." "We are ahead of our plan," he affirmed.
The stated objectives of the operation are to neutralize Iran's missile capabilities, prevent advances in its nuclear program, and eliminate threats against U.S. and allied forces.
However, the scale of the deployment and the tone of the military command suggest that the conflict could prolong and redefine the strategic balance in the Middle East.
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