According to a report by Reuters on Thursday, 14 May, 2026, In a significant assessment of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), has declared a sharp decline in Tehran’s regional influence and warfighting capacity.
According to the admiral, U.S. bombings have dramatically reduced Iran’s ability to threaten its neighbors and American interests, while setting back the country’s defense industry by approximately 90%.
Speaking to a U.S. Senate committee and in recent operational briefings, Admiral Cooper painted a picture of a transformed battlefield. Iran’s ballistic missile attacks have plummeted by 90% since the early days of the conflict, with drone strikes down by 83%.
These figures reflect not just immediate battlefield successes but a systematic dismantling of Iran’s military infrastructure under Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led campaign that began in late February 2026 alongside Israeli operations.
The numbers are striking. U.S. forces, supported by extensive air and naval operations, have struck thousands of targets across Iran.
Reports indicate over 5,000 to 8,000 military sites hit, including deeply buried missile launchers, production facilities, naval assets, and command centers.
More than 30 Iranian vessels have reportedly been sunk, and large portions of the country’s ballistic missile and drone industrial base have been damaged or destroyed.
“We’re not just hitting what they have,” Admiral Cooper emphasized in earlier updates. “We’re destroying their ability to rebuild.”
This dual approach degrading current stockpiles while targeting manufacturing and storage sites aims to deliver a long-term setback.
Experts describe it as potentially setting Iran’s conventional military capabilities back by decades, wiping out investments accumulated over 40 years.
Iran’s proxy network has also felt the strain. With supply lines severed, groups like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas face reduced support, limiting their ability to project power on Tehran’s behalf.
Freedom of navigation in critical waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, has seen improved security as Iran’s capacity to disrupt shipping has been degraded.
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