Iran’s Hormuz leverage persists despite U.S. gains
Adm. Brad Cooper told a Senate panel that Iran remains capable of disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and can use that leverage in peace talks, even as U.S. forces say Iran’s military has been degraded. Details on missiles and stockpiles are disputed, and while Project Freedom could resume if ordered, the war—codenamed Epic Fury—has cost about $29 billion, potentially forcing funding trade-offs in training and force generation.
