U.S. Expands Operation Epic Fury Against Iran as Conflict Enters Sixth Day

U.S. Operation in Iran Enters Sixth Day

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the United States can sustain military operations against Iran "for as long as it takes" as the war continues into its sixth day. Hegseth made the statement during a press briefing held in Tampa, Florida, where he appeared alongside Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, which leads U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Operation Epic Fury and Shift in Military Focus

Hegseth referred to the ongoing U.S. mission against Iran as Operation Epic Fury. He noted that on Wednesday he had described the mission as "just getting started." During the same Wednesday announcement, Hegseth said that an Iranian warship had been sunk by a U.S. torpedo, marking the first time since World War II that the U.S. Navy has sunk a warship with a torpedo.

At Thursday's briefing, Hegseth said, "Our timeline is ours and ours alone to control," and stated that the United States has "no shortage of munitions." He added that the U.S. military is working to "establish total dominance over the skies" as operations continue.

Targeting Iran’s Missile Capabilities

Admiral Brad Cooper said the next phase of Operation Epic Fury will focus in part on "systemically dismantling" Iran's missile production capability for the future. He explained that the mission aims to "raze or level" Iran's missile industry and said this effort is already underway but will take some time. Cooper stated, "We're not just hitting what they have. We're destroying their ability to rebuild."

Cooper reported that in the last 72 hours, U.S. bomber forces have struck nearly 200 targets deep inside Iran, including areas around Tehran. On Thursday, B-2 bombers dropped "dozens of 2,000-pound penetrators" aimed at deeply buried ballistic missile launchers. According to Cooper, Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks have decreased significantly as the conflict has progressed.

Strikes on Iranian Vessels and Military Assets

Cooper said that U.S. forces have destroyed 30 Iranian vessels during the conflict. Among these, he noted the destruction of a drone carrier that he described as roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier. He also said that, as of Monday night, U.S. forces had struck nearly 2,000 targets using more than 2,000 munitions.

Cooper reported that more than 50,000 U.S. troops are participating in the operation, along with 200 fighter aircraft, two carrier strike groups, and bombers. He described this as representing the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East in a generation.

U.S. Casualties and Command Response

Hegseth said that six U.S. Army Reserve members have been killed in the war with Iran. He stated that the deadly incident occurred when an incoming munition struck a tactical operations center in Kuwait. On Monday night, Cooper released a social media video offering condolences for the six service members killed over the weekend and providing an operational update on the campaign.

Hegseth said Thursday that the U.S. military will "remember and honor" the six personnel who died by "rededicating ourselves even more fervently to this mission." He participated in the Tampa press conference during a visit to U.S. Central Command headquarters. This briefing was the first time Cooper has given a press conference since the campaign began over the weekend.