The USA has taken out over 90% of around 8,000 naval mines from Iran through more than 700 airstrikes, reported US Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper to legislators on Thursday. The written statement didn't touch on the ongoing control Tehran has over the Strait of Hormuz.

Cooper stated that the strikes destroyed 'once massive stockpiles' of Iran's naval mines, but did not specify how many mines were laid directly in the strait and how many were destroyed in warehouses or aboard vessels.

Cooper highlighted the destruction of traditional military assets of Iran while downplaying its asymmetric capabilities, including drone attacks on vessels and energy infrastructure targets in the region.

"Iran maintains a limited potential for creating disruptions—pursuit, low-power drone and missile attacks, as well as residual support for proxy forces—however, it no longer has the means to threaten large regional operations or to deter U.S. freedom of action in air and maritime domains," Cooper stated.

Iranian threats to commercial vessels effectively blocked the shipping route for two and a half months, leading to a rise in global energy prices and increasing pressure on President Donald Trump to end the conflict.

Defense Minister Pete Hegseth and other officials have repeatedly emphasized that the number of targeted assets now exceeds 13,000, as well as destroyed Iranian assets, trying to showcase the tactical success of Operation 'Epic Fury', despite Tehran's continued control over the shipping route.

Cooper presented statistics ahead of his first of two appearances before Congress before the defense policy committees, detailing the scale of Operation 'Epic Fury' against Iran, which is currently in a ceasefire mode—earlier this week, Trump described it as being on 'massive life support.'

Cooper reported that during more than 10,200 combat sorties and over 13,500 strikes, U.S. forces attacked the full spectrum of Iran's power projection capabilities. As a result of the campaign, more than 85% of Iran's defense-industrial base in ballistic missiles, drones, and naval armaments has been damaged or destroyed; over 1,450 strikes on weapons production facilities have set back Iran's ability to create and stockpile long-range ballistic missiles and drones for years.

Over 2,000 strikes on Iran's command and control structures have created a leadership vacuum and internal disorganization; reports are coming in about desertions, personnel shortages, and attempts by the regime to restore discipline through arrests and executions, according to the report.

According to the report, the integrated air defense system established by U.S. Central Command at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar has enabled regional allies to intercept over 6,000 kamikaze drones and more than 1,500 ballistic missiles aimed at U.S. forces, Israel, and Arab partners.

#WorldNews2026 , #USIranWarEscalation

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