U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that Iran's missile and drone attack capabilities have declined sharply since Operation Epic Fury began.
Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth said:
- Iran's missile volume has decreased by 90%
- Suicide drone attacks have decreased by 95%
He asserted that U.S. and Israeli airstrikes have destroyed the majority of Tehran's military capabilities.
Missile Production Capacity Destroyed
According to Hegseth, the waves of airstrikes targeted:
- Missile production factories
- Component assembly facilities
- Defense research centers
- Military production lines
He stated that Iran's missile production capacity is now “almost completely defeated.”
“Factories, complexes, and production lines across Iran have been destroyed.”
The U.S. is not only shooting down existing missile stockpiles but is also targeting the ability to manufacture new weapons.
Iran Unveils “Underground Missile City”
The Pentagon's statement comes after Tehran released a video of an underground military facility containing:
- attack drones
- naval mines
- anti-ship missiles
The timing of when the video was recorded has not yet been confirmed.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Flashpoint
The Pentagon acknowledged that the Strait of Hormuz remains a sensitive area.
General Dan Caine stated that the tactical environment in the region is “very complex,” so the U.S. Navy has not yet been able to deploy large-scale tanker escorts.
The Strait of Hormuz currently carries about 20% of the world's oil supply, so any tension there would impact the global energy market significantly.
U.S. Prepares to Intensify Airstrikes
Secretary Hegseth said the intensity of airstrikes targeting Iran is expected to increase by about 20% compared to previous days.
The campaign's objectives include:
- destroying Iran's nuclear program
- neutralizing missile systems
- sinking naval forces
- severing proxy networks such as Hezbollah
