Iran’s Military Capabilities Reportedly Weakened

On Thursday, CENTCOM chief Gen. Brad Cooper asserted that Iran’s military abilities have been “significantly degraded” across all fronts due to the recent U.S. air campaign targeted at the Islamic Republic. He stated that all military goals outlined in Operation Epic Fury have been met, adding that Iran’s associated militant groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are now “completely cut off” from support and supplies from Tehran.

During his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Cooper detailed substantial damages to Iran’s military industrial base, networks of proxies, naval forces, and command hierarchy that occurred during the intense six-week conflict.

“We achieved every military objective of Epic Fury,” Cooper noted, emphasizing a collapse in Iran’s command and control structure and asserting that the regime currently lacks the means to rebuild its essential weapons stock effectively.

He estimated that about 90% of Iran’s defense industrial capability has been destroyed, targeting critical aspects like its missile and drone production capabilities along with naval assets.

“In under 40 days, CENTCOM forces accomplished our military aims,” Cooper claimed, pointing out that the operation severely hindered Iran’s ability to exert influence beyond its borders, thereby threatening the region and American interests.

Cooper referenced drone and missile attacks Iran carried out against Israel in April and October 2024, arguing that the country no longer has the capacity for operations of that magnitude.

He further disputed recent claims suggesting that Iran still maintains a substantial pre-war missile stockpile, calling publicly available assessments “not accurate,” although he refrained from sharing sensitive figures.

Cooper insisted that ongoing U.S. operations have effectively eradicated Iran’s capacity to provide arms and support to regional terrorist groups.

“Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are all now completely cut off from Iranian supplies and support,” he remarked.

He clarified that the successful outcome of these operations was not simply a given, but rather the product of meticulous planning and extensive experience over many years.

Cooper characterized the operation as a response to long-standing Iranian aggression against U.S. interests, noting that Iranian-backed factions had conducted over 350 attacks on U.S. personnel in the 30 months prior to Operation Epic Fury—roughly one attack every three days.

“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has terrorized the region and made animosity towards the United States central to its governance,” he commented.

The CENTCOM chief claimed that Iran’s naval forces had been significantly weakened, predicting that it could take at least five to ten years for Iran to start restoring its naval capabilities, and possibly even a generation to regain its pre-conflict strength.

Cooper pointed out that through extensive airstrikes aimed at disrupting the deployment of mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military has eliminated more than 90% of an estimated 8,000 naval mines in Iran’s possession.

Despite the widespread destruction of Iran’s military infrastructure, Cooper cautioned that the country still possesses limited asymmetric capabilities.

“Iran continues to engage in low-cost drone and rocket attacks, along with some proxy support,” he explained in written testimony to lawmakers.

However, he insisted that Iran lacks the ability to undermine significant regional operations or impede U.S. actions in air and maritime domains.

While he maintained that Iran’s capacity to disrupt maritime trade had been greatly reduced, Cooper acknowledged that the mere threat posed by the Iranian government can influence global shipping, insurance, and oil markets.

“Iran’s ability to disrupt trade has been greatly diminished in the Strait,” he noted.

Nevertheless, he remarked that Iran’s threats continue to resonate loudly within the shipping and insurance industries.

Cooper mentioned that the U.S. and its allies retain the ability to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz if necessary but emphasized that policymakers are focused on ongoing negotiations. Recently, President Trump described the ceasefire as being on “massive life support.”

He further asserted that, despite the damage to Iran’s military command and infrastructure, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps still holds considerable sway within the regime.

When asked if the Revolutionary Guards maintain effective control after the loss of several senior military leaders, Cooper confirmed that they continue to “exercise significant authority.”

During the hearing, he agreed with one senator’s description of Iran as a “revolutionary terrorist regime.”

Additionally, Cooper detailed a significant shift in the Pentagon’s drone warfare strategies following a series of Iranian and Houthi drone assaults.

“The time of using expensive defenses against inexpensive targets is over,” he said, adding that the U.S. has successfully reversed the cost imbalance regarding Iran’s drone capabilities by pushing them toward relying on ever more complex and costly systems.

He stated that Iran’s drone capabilities have fallen to around 10% of what they were before the conflict.

Cooper also noted that the U.S. military has begun utilizing various anti-drone strategies and battlefield tactics derived from Ukraine’s experiences during its conflict with Russia.

“We’ve adopted many tactics, techniques, and procedures passed down from the Ukrainians, and it has helped protect our forces,” he said.

While the administration formally declared an end to hostilities with Iran following a ceasefire on April 7, sporadic confrontations continue in the region, and broader negotiations appear stalled.

This week, President Trump characterized the fragile ceasefire as being on “massive life support” after calling Iran’s recent proposal “garbage” and “totally unacceptable.”

He warned that if Iran fails to meet U.S. demands regarding its nuclear initiatives and actions, Washington may ultimately “finish the job,” whether through peaceful means or otherwise.