The US military campaign against Iran has significantly weakened Tehran’s armed forces, striking over 6,000 targets and rendering Iranian naval power “combat ineffective” as the conflict enters its 13th day. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine stated that American forces are intensifying operations under Operation Epic Fury, focusing on Iran’s missile infrastructure, naval assets, and defense industrial base. The sustained air and missile campaign has targeted military facilities, production centers, and launch systems to diminish Iran’s ability to threaten American forces and commercial shipping.
The Pentagon reported that the campaign has notably reduced Iran’s military operational capacity. American forces have inflicted substantial damage on Iran’s naval capabilities, rendering their navy combat ineffective within two weeks. The objective of the military campaign is to dismantle Iran’s capacity to threaten maritime traffic and project power in the region. US forces are also targeting Iran’s mine-laying capabilities and infrastructure linked to attacks on commercial shipping.
Despite the progress made, Gen. Caine cautioned that Iran still possesses the capability to threaten US forces and international shipping. Defence Secretary Hegseth emphasized that the campaign’s objectives remain consistent, focusing on destroying Iranian missile launchers, crippling their defense industrial base, and degrading their naval forces. The administration is deliberately avoiding broader military or political objectives that characterized earlier US wars in the region.
The intensity of US strikes is increasing, with Thursday marked as the most active day of the campaign so far. The operation is expanding across multiple domains, employing various tools such as AI, cyber, space, and counter-UAS. Concerns about the security of global energy routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, were also addressed, with the US prioritizing operations to neutralize Iran’s threat to maritime traffic.
