US Army Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief, Admiral Brad Cooper has said that Iran has launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes, but Iran is facing a “lingering launch capability” due to the ongoing attacks on its missiles and launchers.
“We are seeing Iran’s ability to hit us, and our partners, is declining, while our combat power, on the other hand, is building and my overall operational assessment is that we are ahead of our game plan.”
Brad Cooper
In a video posted on X, Cooper disclosed that the US has struck nearly 2,000 targets across Iran since the attacks began on Saturday, and destroyed 17 Iranian ships, including a submarine. “More than 50,000 troops, 200 fighters, two aircraft carriers, and bombers from the United States are participating in this operation, and more capability is on the way,” Cooper said.
He called it the largest US military build-up in the Middle East in a generation. Cooper added that the US and Israel have launched nearly twice as many attacks on Iran as in the “shock and awe” bombings in the early stages of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. “We have severely degraded Iran’s air defences and destroyed hundreds of Iran’s ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones,” he added.
Cooper’s remarks come amid continued bombardment of Iran and Lebanon continues, with a strike on a hotel near Beirut and the building of the Assembly of Experts in Qom.
Tehran also continues retaliatory attacks on Israel and US targets in the Middle East, with strikes reported on Washington’s consulate in Dubai and a port in the city of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.
Nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran after four days of war, according to officials, 50 in Lebanon and 11 in Israel. Israeli authorities say most incoming missiles have been intercepted.
The Pentagon on Tuesday identified four of the six US service members who have been killed in the war, saying that they died in a drone strike in Kuwait.
In Lebanon, Iran-backed Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel, prompting Israeli strikes in Beirut and additional troop deployments to southern Lebanon. The fighting has disrupted air travel and shipping routes, causing the price of oil to spike while stock markets slump.
The Israeli military’s Arabic-language Spokesperson, Avichay Adraee issued new forced displacement orders for residents of the Haret Hreik neighbourhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The Spokesperson released a map of the Lebanese capital with buildings marked in red and warned that people should flee the site, claiming it was “affiliated with Hezbollah.”
“For your safety and the safety of your family members, you are required to evacuate these buildings immediately and stay away from them for a distance of at least 300 metres as shown on the map.”
Avichay Adraee
Israeli military issued forced evacuation orders for residents of 13 additional villages and towns in southern Lebanon. They include Qana, Kfar Kila and Majdal Zoun. This came hours after the Israeli military issued a similar notice for residents of 16 villages and towns, and a day after it threatened people in more than 50 settlements to leave.
Russia, China Criticise US-Israeli Attacks On Iran
Meanwhile, Russia and China criticised the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, with Moscow saying that it had seen no evidence that Tehran was developing nuclear weapons, and Beijing demanding an immediate halt to the joint attacks.
Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, that the attack on Iran came as negotiations between Washington and Tehran had “made significant progress, including addressing Israel’s security concerns”, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Regrettably, this process has been interrupted by military action. China opposes any military strikes launched by Israel and the US against Iran. China calls for an immediate cessation of military operations to prevent the further escalation and loss of control of the conflict.
“Force cannot truly solve problems; instead, it will bring new problems and serious long-term consequences.”
Wang Yi
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov also criticised the US and Israel, saying their war on Iran could lead to the very outcome they claimed they wanted to prevent; nuclear proliferation.
Lavrov told a news conference that the logical consequence of the US and Israel’s actions could be that “forces will emerge in Iran… in favour of doing exactly what the Americans want to avoid – acquiring a nuclear bomb.” Lavrov stated, “Because the US doesn’t attack those who have nuclear bombs.”
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