By Jennifer Calfas

The U.S. commander leading Operation Epic Fury said in an operational update that Iran "has lost significant combat capability" in the three weeks since the war began. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, said the U.S. has struck more than 8,000 military targets, including 130 Iranian vessels. "Our progress is obvious," Cooper said.

He also said the U.S. earlier this week dropped multiple 5,000-pound bombs on an underground facility on Iran's coastline as part of its efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway for the world's oil supply. "We not only took out the facility but also destroyed intelligence support sites and missile radar relays that were used to monitor ship movements," Cooper said. "Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz is degraded as a result and we will not stop pursuing these targets."

The statement made no mention of Iran's launch of two ballistic missiles aimed at a U.S.-U.K. military base roughly 2,500 miles away, Tehran's most distant attack so far and one that showed it can target Europe.

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March 21, 2026 08:55 ET (12:55 GMT)

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