The United States has carried out nearly 2,000 strikes inside Iran since launching its military campaign, even as Tehran responded with drones and missiles targeting American-linked locations across the Gulf region.
The escalation marks the fourth day of fighting after US and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior figures. Iran has since retaliated with a wave of ballistic missiles and drones aimed at US bases and allied targets across the Middle East.
Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday (local time), Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Central Command, said the operation, named Operation Epic Fury, has already hit thousands of military targets in Iran.
“Now, we’re less than 100 hours into this operation, and we’ve already struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions. We have severely degraded Iran’s air defences and destroyed hundreds of Iran’s ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones. In simple terms, we’re focused on shooting all the things that can shoot at us. Our B-2 bombers and B-1 bombers have executed uncontested surgical strikes against multiple missile facilities deep inside Iran. And then just last night, a B-52 bomber force struck ballistic missile and command and control posts,” he said.
US says Iranian naval presence in Gulf nearly eliminated
The CENTCOM chief also claimed significant damage had been inflicted on Iran’s naval capabilities.
“We are also sinking the Iranian Navy – the entire navy. Thus far, we’ve destroyed 17 Iranian ships, including the most operational Iranian submarine, that now has a hole in its side. For decades, the Iranian regime has harassed international shipping. Today, there’s not a single Iranian ship underway in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Gulf of Oman. And we will not stop. We will continue to conduct dynamic targeting operations. We’re hunting Iran’s last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate what I would characterise as their lingering launch capability,” he said.
Cooper said US forces were continuing operations to track down Iran’s remaining mobile missile launchers.
Drone strikes reported near US missions in Gulf
Even as Washington signalled progress in its campaign, Iranian counterattacks continued across the region.
Fox News, citing a source, reported that a CIA station inside the US Embassy compound in Riyadh was hit in a drone strike. Two drones struck the compound, causing structural damage and smoke, though officials said there were no immediate reports of injuries.
A separate drone-related incident was reported near the US Consulate General in Dubai late Tuesday night. Authorities said a fire that broke out close to the premises was quickly brought under control.
Dubai officials confirmed emergency teams responded immediately and that no injuries were reported.
According to a source in the region cited by CNN, the consulate grounds may have been struck by an Iranian drone.
In a statement posted on X, the Dubai Media Office said the fire near the consulate had been extinguished and that authorities remained committed to maintaining safety and security.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that a drone strike had indeed hit a parking lot next to the consulate. He also stated that all American staff were unharmed.
Meanwhile, Cooper said Tehran had fired more than 500 ballistic missiles and launched over 2,000 drones during the conflict so far.
He accused Iran of targeting civilian areas while carrying out those attacks. However, he claimed that the effectiveness of Iranian strikes was declining as US military pressure intensified.
“In retaliation, the Iranian regime has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones. To be clear, Iran is indiscriminately targeting civilians as they launch these missiles and drones. You’ve seen it on TV; the evidence is crystal clear and overwhelming. Having said this, we are seeing Iran’s ability to hit us and our partners is declining, while our combat power, on the other hand, is building. And my overall operational assessment is that we are ahead of our game plan. Along the way, every single branch of our military is achieving unprecedented success.”
The admiral also said US and Israeli air forces were dominating the skies over Iran. He pointed to the role of a drone unit known as Task Force Scorpion Strike, which has deployed one-way attack drones in large numbers during the operation.
“Our objectives are clear,” Cooper said. “This is a complex and historic mission, and our forces are carrying it out with precision and professionalism.”