Since the United States and Israel began their joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, the U.S. has targeted and taken out more than 60 Iranian ships, weakening Iran’s naval combat power, according to U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
As the war enters its 12th day, Cooper took to X to provide updates on Operation Epic fury and the ongoing American attacks in Iran.
“We also took out the last of four Soleimani-class warships,” Cooper said. “That’s an entire class of Iranian ships now out of the fight.”
The first of the guided missile Iranian catamarans were delivered to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy in 2022, and were the first Iranian warships to possess vertical launch systems capable of medium-range surface-to-air missiles, according to the U.S. Naval Institute.
To date, the U.S. has struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, said Cooper.
The offensive assault is not letting up either.
According to Cooper, on March 10 the U.S. military launched “strike waves nearly every hour from different locations and directions going into Iran,” with the U.S. bomber force taking out a large ballistic missile manufacturing facility.
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The military strikes — which the commander described as “unpredictable, dynamic and decisive” — will continue to target Iran’s defense industrial base.
The objective of Operation Epic Fury, Cooper reiterated, is to end Iran’s ability to project power and harass shipping.
On Wednesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations announced on X that three shipping vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz were hit by an unknown projectile.
U.S. Central Command issued a warning several hours later, cautioning civilians that the Iranian regime was using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations.
“Civilian ports used for military purposes lose protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law,” a CENTCOM press release said.
A high-ranking member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned last week that any vessels traveling through the 100-mile long sea passage would be targeted and met with lethal force, according to Iranian media.
Since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28, roughly 140 troops have been wounded — eight severely — the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
Seven service members have been killed in action so far.
Six died when an Iranian one-way attack drone struck a makeshift operations center at a civilian port in Kuwait on March 1.
Another service member died on March 8 after succumbing to injuries that he sustained on March 1 after Iran attacked Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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