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The U.S. military has stepped up its efforts to target Iranian mines, unmanned ships and torpedoes.
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Earlier, U.S. officials said U.S. strikes destroyed dozens of Iranian ships.
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These tactical efforts reflect efforts to contain Iran’s ability to attack the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military is broadly targeting Iran’s naval capabilities, expanding the scope of strikes beyond warships to include mines, drones and torpedoes, the admiral in charge of Middle East operations said on Monday.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, reiterated in a video statement that neutralizing Iran’s “naval threat” is one of three military objectives of the U.S. strike that just passed the two-week mark.
Cooper shared images showing the aftermath of recent U.S. airstrikes on military sites, including a Navy drone storage facility and buildings used to produce light and heavy torpedoes.
The United States also attacked more than 90 military targets on Kharg Island off the coast of Iran over the weekend, destroying mine storage depots and other targets, Cooper said.
Khag Island, about 300 miles from the strategic Strait of Hormuz, is the heart of Iran’s vast oil sector, handling 90% of its crude exports.
President Donald Trump said last week that U.S. military action had not harmed Iran’s oil infrastructure on Khag Island, although he threatened to reconsider if Iran decided to interfere with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz, a small body of water between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most important naval chokepoints.
Pictures of facilities used to manufacture torpedoes in Iran.U.S. Central Command/Screenshot from X
The aftermath of the U.S. attack on the facility.U.S. Central Command/Screenshot from X
“We are also committed to eliminating the decades-old Iranian threat to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz,” Cooper said Monday. “Through a combination of air, land and sea capabilities, we have successfully destroyed more than 100 Iranian naval vessels, and we are not done yet.”
The U.S. military said last week that it had damaged or destroyed more than 60 Iranian ships and 30 minelayers since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28. Satellite images obtained by Business Insider show several destroyed ships in Iranian ports early in the war.
The U.S. military has used the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to sink multiple Iranian ships, including a submarine, Gen. Dan Cain, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Friday.
The expansion of the strikes beyond warships reflects the Trump administration’s efforts to limit Iran’s ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz and other waterways, where the Iranians are more likely to fight with stealthy, asymmetric capabilities than traditional surface combatants.
U.S. and Israeli attacks have killed hundreds and injured thousands in Iran, while Tehran’s missile and drone strikes have killed dozens in Israel and Gulf states, according to local health ministries, officials and media reports.
Meanwhile, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed and at least 140 injured since combat operations against Iran began. The latest losses were the deaths of six crew members following the accident. KC-135 tanker crashed in Iraq on Thursday.
Read the original article on Business Insider