The US military campaign against Iran has crossed a major milestone, with over 10,000 targets struck since late February. Officials say the operation has significantly weakened Iran’s military, but the human and regional costs continue to grow.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper confirmed on Wednesday that American forces have struck more than 10,000 military targets inside Iran.
“In fact, we hit the 10,000th Iranian target just hours ago,” Cooper said in a video message shared on X.
The strikes are part of Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28 in coordination with Israel.
Regional tensions have surged since the joint US-Israel attack began on February 28. The conflict has already killed more than 1,300 people, including former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In response, Iran has carried out drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
Iran’s naval and missile capabilities heavily damaged
According to Cooper, US forces have destroyed 92% of Iran’s largest naval vessels. “They are not sailing… and have lost the ability to meaningfully project naval power,” he said.
He added that Iran’s naval, drone, and missile capabilities have been “significantly” degraded, and the US has also removed the country’s ability to rebuild these systems.
CENTCOM further stated that more than 140 Iranian vessels have been damaged or destroyed during the operation.
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The conflict has also taken a toll on American forces. A total of 13 US service members have been killed since the operation began. Six died in a March 1 Iranian drone attack in Kuwait, while another succumbed to injuries from an attack in Saudi Arabia the same day.
On March 12, six more troops were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during a combat mission supporting Operation Epic Fury.
Nearly 290 US troops injured
Around 290 US service members have been injured so far, according to CENTCOM spokesperson US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins.
“The vast majority of these injuries have been minor,” Hawkins said, adding that more than 255 troops have already returned to duty.
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Officials confirmed that all but 35 injured personnel have resumed service, while 10 troops remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
The scale of the operation remains vast, with more than 9,000 combat flights conducted so far. CENTCOM said its forces are targeting locations that pose immediate threats, aiming to dismantle Iran’s security and military infrastructure.
The campaign continues to intensify as US forces maintain pressure on key Iranian military assets.
