The commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, declared on Thursday that the Iranian regime’s military capabilities have been "severely degraded" in "every domain" following U.S. airstrikes against Iran, announcing that all military objectives for the "Epic Fury" operation were met. He also asserted that Iran's terrorist proxies – Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels – have been "completely severed" from weapons and support from Tehran.

Cooper testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, explaining that over roughly six weeks of military operations, the Iranian regime’s military-industrial complex, proxy networks, naval power, and command structure all sustained significant damage.

"We achieved all the military objectives of Operation 'Epic Fury'," Cooper said, describing Iran's command and control system as having been "shattered" and asserting that the regime now lacks the capacity to substantially rebuild its core weapons stockpiles.

The operation destroyed about 90% of Iran's defense industrial base, including significant portions of its missile, drone, naval, and weapons production infrastructure, Cooper said.

"In less than 40 days, CENTCOM forces achieved their military objectives," Cooper said, asserting that the operation crippled Tehran's ability to "project power beyond its borders and threaten U.S. interests in the region and beyond."

Cooper cited Iran's missile and drone attacks against Israel in April and October 2024, claiming Tehran no longer has the capability to conduct attacks "of that magnitude and volume."

The CENTCOM commander also pushed back on recent reports that Iran still possessed most of its pre-war missile stockpile and mobile launchers, saying publicly disseminated open-source intelligence assessments were "not accurate," though he did not offer specific figures from classified materials.

Cooper also asserted that ongoing U.S. operations have effectively severed Tehran’s ability to supply weapons and support to its terrorist proxies in the region.

"Today, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels are all completely severed from Iranian weapons supplies and support from Tehran," he said.

"The outcome was not predetermined," he said. "It was the result of months of meticulous planning and decades of experience coming to fruition."

Cooper framed the operation as the culmination of years of attacks against U.S. personnel across the region by Iran, noting that Iran-backed groups conducted more than 350 attacks against U.S. forces and diplomats in the 30 months leading up to the start of Operation "Epic Fury" – roughly one attack every three days.

"For the last 47 years, the Iranian regime has terrorized the region and has made its hostility to the United States a cornerstone of its rule," Cooper said.

Cooper explained that the Iranian Navy has been effectively decimated by the operation, estimating that it would take Tehran at least five to 10 years to begin rebuilding even a portion of its naval forces, and potentially "a generation" to regain its pre-conflict strength.

As part of maritime operations, the U.S. military conducted more than 700 airstrikes to prevent the widespread deployment of naval mines across the Strait of Hormuz, destroying more than 90% of the roughly 8,000 naval mines that Iran was believed to possess, Cooper said.

Despite the extensive destruction to Iran's military infrastructure, Cooper warned that Iran still possesses limited asymmetric capabilities.

"Iran still possesses nuisance-level capabilities in terms of disruptive activities, low-end drone and rocket attacks, and support for residual proxy forces," Cooper stated in his written testimony submitted to lawmakers.

"However, Iran no longer possesses the means to threaten major regional operations or to deny freedom of action to the United States in the air and maritime domains," he added.

While claiming that Iran's ability to disrupt maritime trade has been significantly degraded, Cooper acknowledged that Tehran's threats alone continue to unnerve the global shipping industry, insurance markets, and oil prices.

"Iran's ability to shut down trade through the strait has been dramatically degraded," he said. "But Iran's voice is very loud, and its threats are clearly heard in the shipping and insurance industries."

Cooper added that the U.S. and its regional allies possess the military capability to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force if necessary, but stressed that policymakers are focused on ongoing negotiations amidst what President Donald Trump recently described as a ceasefire sustained by a "huge life support machine."

Despite the damage inflicted on Iran's military leadership and infrastructure, Cooper said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) still wields immense influence within the regime.

When asked if the IRGC maintained effective control following the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian commanders during the conflict, Cooper responded that the organization still "exercises significant authority."

During the hearing, Cooper agreed with Sen. Tom Cotton’s description of Iran as a "revolutionary terrorist regime."

"They are," Cooper replied.

Cooper also detailed major shifts in the Pentagon’s drone warfare strategy in response to Iran and Houthi drone attacks across the region over the past several months.

"The era of shooting down cheap targets with expensive air defense systems is over," Cooper said, asserting that the U.S. has succeeded in "flipping the cost curve" against Iran's drone tactics by forcing Iran to rely on increasingly sophisticated and costly systems.

Iran's drone force has now been reduced to about 10% of its pre-conflict levels, according to Cooper.

Cooper also revealed that the U.S. military has adopted various anti-drone tactics and battlefield procedures developed by Ukraine during its war with Russia.

"We have adopted numerous tactics, techniques, and procedures that were transferred from the Ukrainian side, and it has helped us defend our forces," he said.

Sporadic clashes and maritime standoffs continue across the region, with negotiations for a comprehensive agreement largely stalled, despite the administration’s official declaration of "ending" hostilities with Iran following the April 7 ceasefire.

President Trump this week described the unstable ceasefire as being on life support, calling Tehran’s latest proposals "garbage" and "totally unacceptable" before rejecting them.

The president warned that if Iran does not meet U.S. demands regarding its nuclear program and regional activities, the U.S. will eventually "get it done" through "peaceful means or otherwise."

By U.S. NNP=Hong Seong-gu, Chief Reporter / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com