5,500+ Targets Smoked, America's Back, and the Ayatollahs Are Hiding [WATCH]

U.S. Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper provided an operational update on the ongoing military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, outlining recent strikes on Iranian military infrastructure and describing the broader objectives of the operation.

“Hi, I’m Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, here to provide another update on Operation Epic Fury.”

Cooper began by recognizing service members who were killed in a recent aviation incident involving a U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft.

“First, I want to remember and honor our fallen warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice in the KC 135 refueling aircraft incident last week.”

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He noted that those lost in the incident are being remembered by fellow service members and their families.

“We hold their memories and their families, their friends and their teammates in our prayers.”

Cooper said the loss has reinforced the determination of the U.S. military during the ongoing mission.

“Their selfless service and dedication hardens our resolve.”

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The operation has been underway for more than two weeks, with U.S. forces carrying out strikes across multiple locations in Iran.

“For 16 days, we’ve delivered overwhelming firepower deep into Iran.”

According to Cooper, U.S. forces conducted a large-scale strike targeting military infrastructure on Kharg Island.

“This past Friday, US forces executed a large scale precision strike on Kharg Island, destroying more than 90 Iranian military targets, including storage bunkers for naval mines and missiles and other military infrastructure.”

He said the operation has involved extensive air activity by multiple branches of the U.S. military.

“To date, our Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aviators have collectively flown more than 6000 combat flights, demonstrating the unmatched capability of America’s Joint Force.”

Cooper said U.S. forces continue to maintain air superiority while focusing on defined military objectives.

“As we maintain air superiority over Iranian skies, we continue to remain centered on our military objectives.”

Those objectives, he said, include neutralizing several types of Iranian weapons systems.

“These are well defined, and include eliminating Iran’s ballistic missiles, drones and naval threats.”

Cooper explained that the mission goes beyond intercepting weapons systems and focuses on dismantling the facilities that produce them.

“It’s one thing to defend by striking launchers and intercepting missiles and drones, but it’s another thing to eliminate the wider manufacturing apparatus behind them. And we are doing that today.”

He described the destruction of facilities associated with Iran’s defense production network.

“We’ve talked about it in concept. Here’s what it looks like in reality.”

One example involved a naval drone storage facility near the Strait of Hormuz.

“Here you see a photo from March 1 of a naval drone storage facility located near the Strait of Hormuz. This is the same location eight days later, completely destroyed.”

Another strike targeted a drone production site in Tehran.

“Next here’s a photo taken of an attack drone production factory in Tehran on March 5. Here’s that same factory six days later, after a devastating barrage of US air strikes.”

Cooper also referenced the destruction of the Yazdi military depot, which he said was tied to missile command infrastructure.

“And finally, the Yazdi military depot, pictured here last month. These eight buildings are part of the IRGC Missile Command infrastructure and are used to produce light and heavyweight torpedoes. Now here’s that same military depot just last week, or what’s left of it.”

He said the goal of the operation is to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten regional stability.

“US and partner strikes are doing exactly what they are intended to do deliver on very clear military objectives to eliminate Iran’s ability to project power against Americans and against its neighbors.”

Cooper said another focus of the operation has been protecting maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We’re also zeroed in on dismantling Iran’s decades old threat to the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz.”

He said U.S. forces have already destroyed numerous Iranian naval assets.

“Through a combination of air, land and maritime capabilities, we have successfully destroyed over 100 Iranian naval vessels. And we are done.”

Cooper said the operation will continue to target threats to navigation in the region.

“We will continue to rapidly deplete Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz.”

The admiral also described attacks launched by Iran against multiple countries in the region during the past two weeks.

“Over the last two weeks, they have launched attacks on Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain.”

He said those attacks have targeted civilians.

“In each of these countries, they are deliberately attacking innocent civilians.”

According to Cooper, Iran has carried out more than 300 such attacks.

“They’ve done this more than 300 times, which demonstrates their true nature as a global leader of terror.”

He cited a recent strike in Israel that used cluster munitions.

“In just the last few days, the Iranian regime launched a reckless attack against civilian neighborhoods in Tel Aviv with cluster bombs, an inherently indiscriminate type of munition.”

Cooper said the United States and its partners continue to respond to those attacks.

“We join countries across the region in condemning this aggression, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners in bolstering our own defenses.”

He concluded by describing the broader status of the campaign.

“In sum, I will reinforce what I said before. Iran’s capabilities are declining as our capabilities and advantages continue to build.”

Cooper also recognized the large number of U.S. service members currently deployed across the region.

“And finally, I’d like to talk about the extraordinary 50,000 Americans who are deployed across the region executing this vital mission.”

He emphasized the importance of the logistics teams supporting the operation.

“It’s long been my belief that every success we have begins and ends with our people And today, I’d like to recognize our unsung heroes, the sustainers, enabling America’s Joint Force to unleash this devastating firepower.”

He said those personnel are responsible for maintaining supply networks across long distances.

“24/7 to be clear, there’s no other military on Earth that does logistics like the US military. Our team is at the top of their game today. They’re managing distribution networks that span 1000s of miles to ensure that munitions, fuel and supplies reach war fighters on the front line on time, every time.”

Cooper closed by thanking those involved in sustaining the mission.