Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), declared this Thursday that the military objectives of the Epic Fury Operation, the joint offensive by the United States and Israel against Iran, launched on February 28, 2026.
"The United States and Israel have systematically destroyed Iran's ability to carry out large-scale operations over the coming years. Iran's conventional military capability, built over 40 years at a cost of billions of dollars, has been eliminated," noted the admiral.
"U.S. forces have halted offensive operations in accordance with the ongoing ceasefire. However, we remain present, we remain vigilant, and we remain prepared if called upon," warned Cooper.
The senior official stated that in less than 40 days U.S. forces destroyed the military capability that Iran had built over more than four decades. They achieved this with over 13,000 attacks against Iranian military targets and flying thousands of combat missions.
"We set out to dismantle the Iranian regime's ability to project power beyond its own borders. And we clearly accomplished this task. Iran has suffered a generational military defeat," he stated.
His words come a day after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had already declared all the objectives of the operation fulfilled, within the framework of the ceasefire currently in effect, announced on Wednesday by Trump.
In parallel to the military announcement, the formal negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are scheduled for April 10 in Islamabad.
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