The commander of US Central Command has disclosed that over 50,000 American troops, 200 fighter jets, and two aircraft carriers are involved in joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Gen. Brad Cooper reported that the operation has targeted nearly 2,000 locations and is “sinking the Iranian Navy.”
In a video statement on Tuesday, Gen. Cooper outlined the unprecedented scale of the campaign, now entering its fourth day. He said the combined forces have launched more than 2,000 munitions against Iranian targets, marking a significant escalation of the conflict.
Highlighting the expansion of the offensive into maritime operations, Cooper declared, “We are also sinking the Iranian Navy, the entire navy. Thus far, we’ve destroyed 17 Iranian ships.”
The strikes have focused on undermining Iran’s naval capabilities in the Gulf and surrounding waters.
The CENTCOM chief also noted that Iran has responded with large-scale retaliatory actions, launching over 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones against Israel and Gulf states hosting US forces.
Despite these counterattacks, Cooper asserted, “Iran’s ability to strike US forces and allies is declining as the campaign continues.”
However, the US has suffered casualties in the operation.
CENTCOM confirmed that six American service members were killed and several others wounded during an Iranian strike on a tactical operations center in Kuwait, marking the first US combat deaths in this phase of the conflict.
The figures outlined by CENTCOM underscore the magnitude of the military engagement initiated by US and Israeli forces on Saturday, which resulted in nearly 800 fatalities, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The operation represents the largest American military buildup in the Middle East in decades, drawing concern from the international community, including Türkiye, as the violence threatens to escalate and destabilize the entire region.
