All articles tagged with #centcom
The Pentagon plans to deploy about 3,000 troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, joining thousands of Marines already heading to the region; there are no decisions yet to enter Iran, but the move signals a broader escalation in U.S. Iran-focused operations as CENTCOM reports extensive strikes and the region’s security dynamics, including the Strait of Hormuz and global oil implications.
CNN’s review of US Central Command data shows the pace of strikes on Iran has fluctuated over about three weeks rather than steadily increasing, contradicting Pete Hegseth’s repeated predictions of “more and larger” attacks. While the first day saw over 1,000 targets struck, daily averages since then have hovered around 250–333 with occasional upticks, likely due to maintenance and a stretching target list. Experts suggest the war’s messaging has outpaced the on‑the‑ground tempo of operations.
US forces attacked hardened Iranian missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz using 5,000-pound deep‑penetrator munitions, saying the strikes target threats to international shipping as part of Operation Epic Fury. CENTCOM warned further actions could follow and mentioned the possible deployment of Marines, with Israeli involvement described as intelligence support rather than kinetic action. The strikes come amid shipping disruptions at Hormuz and heightened concerns about global energy markets, with officials signaling the conflict could endure for weeks or months.
U.S. Central Command released before-and-after photos of Iranian sites it says were struck to dismantle Iran's defense-industrial base, claiming the strikes have crippled Tehran’s ability to project power and threaten the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump said Iran’s military has been decimated and air defenses wiped out, but he stopped short of declaring victory, arguing it would take years for Iran to rebuild and noting ongoing U.S.-led operations with allies.
US Central Command confirmed B-52 strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury, with eyewitness videos and outlets reporting powerful explosions across major cities including Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan amid an ongoing nighttime operation; the story is developing.
US Central Command released video of airstrikes on Iranian aircraft amid the Iran war, saying the operations are degrading Iran’s air capability and that US forces retain air superiority; CENTCOM denies Iranian claims of shooting down a US plane and notes a prior friendly-fire incident in which three US F-15Es were downed and six aircrew were ejected and recovered.
US Central Command released footage alleging strikes destroyed Iran’s aging American-made aircraft—including C-130 Hercules, P-3F Orion, and IL-76—on runways, describing the moves as eroding Iran’s air capability; satellite imagery also shows F-14s destroyed at Isfahan amid broader operations near the Strait of Hormuz.
A morning roundup of reports alleging Iran holds thousands of naval mines, ongoing missile exchanges with Israel, sanctions actions, and official statements from CENTCOM and Iranian outlets, signaling elevated tensions in the Middle East.
US Central Command says it is using a range of advanced AI tools to rapidly process data in its war on Iran, but humans will always decide what to shoot; the AI is meant to speed decision-making amid civilian-casualty concerns, with the campaign reported to have killed at least 1,300 people in Iran since it began.
ISW-CTP’s evening update describes a broad, multi-front escalation: CENTCOM says US forces destroyed 16 Iranian minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran expands maritime mining; Iran and its allied militias continue missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf states, while Israel and Western-backed forces strike Iranian targets inside Iran and at key missile/air-defense sites. The campaign also includes intensified Iranian securitization and arrests, plus ongoing strikes against Iranian-backed Iraqi militias in Iraq and Hezbollah activity in Lebanon. Satellite imagery confirmations are temporarily delayed by 14 days due to a new restriction from a partner.
Trump’s claim that Iran bombed a girls’ school in Minab is disputed by current and former U.S. officials, who say satellite imagery points to a precision strike on the adjacent IRGC base and likely involvement of U.S. or allied munitions; CENTCOM cautioned against pre-empting the investigation and noted the spread of misinformation around the Iran war.
The United States and Israel have intensified their campaign against Iran in Operation Epic Fury, with CENTCOM saying they’ve hit more than 3,000 targets and damaged or destroyed 43 Iranian ships, targeting missiles, IRGC facilities, and other military assets across Iran. Iran and proxies have retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel and Gulf states, prompting warnings and evacuations. Six American service members were killed in Kuwait, with a dignified transfer planned at Dover, as thousands of Americans are reportedly returning home; Trump has praised the campaign and signaled heightened weapons production by defense contractors. The developing crisis has drawn in regional partners and international actors, underscoring a rapidly broadening Middle East confrontation.
CENTCOM says the US used Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs) for the first time in its Iran conflict, praising them as enabling deep, precise strikes though launch location and targets remain undisclosed. PrSMs are Lockheed Martin’s long-range GPS-guided missiles (60 km to over 499 km) compatible with HIMARS and M270 launchers, designed to replace ATACMs and able to carry two per pod, with open architecture and an insensitive payload. Their use under Operation Epic Fury expands US long-range strike options near Iran amid broader regional dynamics and debates over range limits from the INF-era framework.
Pete Hegseth argues Iran’s strikes have backfired by pulling Gulf Cooperation Council members—like the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait—closer to the United States as CENTCOM reports a broad campaign with U.S. bombers striking nearly 200 targets in 72 hours and expanding basing; regional allies condemn Iran’s actions while increasing cooperation with Washington, with analysts suggesting Iran miscalculated by striking U.S. assets in third-country territories.
CENTCOM released footage of a strike on an Iranian drone carrier as part of Operation Epic Fury, saying the ship is on fire and that U.S. forces will continue degrading Iran’s naval and missile capabilities; the update sits amid a flurry of related actions, political commentary, and international responses tied to the widening Middle East conflict.