00:02Hi, I'm Admiral Brad Cooper, the Commander of U.S. Central Command, here to provide another
00:05update on Operation Epic Fury.
00:07First, I want to remember and honor our fallen warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice in
00:12the KC-135 refueling aircraft incident last week.
00:16We hold their memories and their families, their friends and their teammates in our prayers.
00:20Their selfless service and dedication hardens our resolve.
00:24For 16 days, we've delivered overwhelming firepower deep into Iran.
00:29This past Friday, U.S. forces executed a large-scale precision strike on Karg Island, destroying
00:35more than 90 Iranian military targets, including storage bunkers for naval mines and missiles
00:40and other military infrastructure.
00:43To date, our Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps aviators have collectively flown more than
00:476,000 combat flights, demonstrating the unmatched capability of America's Joint Force as we
00:53maintain air superiority over Iranian skies.
00:57We continue to remain centered on our military objectives.
01:00These are well-defined and include eliminating Iran's ballistic missiles, drones, and naval threats.
01:07It's one thing to defend by striking launchers and intercepting missiles and drones, but it's
01:12another thing to eliminate the wider manufacturing apparatus behind them.
01:16And we are doing that today.
01:18We've talked about it in concept.
01:20Here's what it looks like in reality.
01:23Let me show you, for the first time, a few examples of how we are dismantling Iran's
01:28defense industrial base, which will prevent threats to the region into the future.
01:33Here you see a photo from March 1st of a naval drone storage facility located near the Strait
01:38of Hormuz.
01:40This is the same location, eight days later, completely destroyed.
01:44Next, here's a photo taken of an attack drone production factory in Tehran on March 5th.
01:51Here's that same factory six days later after a devastating barrage of U.S. air strikes.
01:56And finally, the Yazdi Military Depot, pictured here last month.
02:00These eight buildings are part of the IRGC's missile command infrastructure and are used to
02:05produce light and heavyweight torpedoes.
02:07Now, here's that same military depot just last week, or what's left of it.
02:13U.S. and partner strikes are doing exactly what they are intended to do, deliver on very
02:18clear military objectives to eliminate Iran's ability to project power against Americans
02:23and against its neighbors.
02:25We're also zeroed in on dismantling Iran's decades-old threat to the free flow of commerce
02:31through the Strait of Hormuz.
02:32Through a combination of air, land, and maritime capabilities, we have successfully destroyed
02:37over 100 Iranian naval vessels, and we aren't done.
02:41We will continue to rapidly deplete Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in
02:46and around the Strait of Hormuz.
02:48Our progress remains steady, and we remain vigilant against the enemy.
02:52Now, a few thoughts about Iran.
02:55Over the last two weeks, they have launched attacks on Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan,
03:01Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
03:08In each of these countries, they are deliberately attacking innocent civilians.
03:12They have done this more than 300 times, which demonstrates their true nature as a global leader
03:18of terror.
03:18In just the last few days, the Iranian regime launched a reckless attack against civilian
03:23neighborhoods in Tel Aviv with cluster bombs, an inherently indiscriminate type of munition.
03:29We join countries across the region in condemning this aggression, and we stand shoulder to shoulder
03:34with our partners in bolstering our own defenses.
03:36In sum, I will reinforce what I've said before, Iran's capabilities are declining as our capabilities
03:43and advantages continue to build.
03:45And finally, I'd like to talk about the extraordinary 50,000 Americans who are deployed across the
03:51region executing this vital mission.
03:53It's long been my belief that every success we have begins and ends with our people, and
03:59today I'd like to recognize our unsung heroes, the sustainers enabling America's joint
04:04military force to unleash this devastating firepower 24-7.
04:08To be clear, there's no other military on Earth that does logistics like the U.S. military,
04:13and our team is at the top of their game today.
04:16They're managing distribution networks that span thousands of miles to ensure that munitions,
04:21fuel, and supplies reach warfighters on the front line, on time, every time.
04:25To all our sustainers and logisticians, thank you and keep up the great work.
04:29And to the entire Operation Epic Fury team, keep pushing, remain steady, fight to win.
04:36Thanks so much and Godspeed.
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