On Thursday, March 4th, United States Secretary of Defense Hagsess visited Florida to visit the US Central Command and held a press conference with the Command’s top officer, Navy Admiral Brad Cooper. Cooper announced that the US military has successfully sunk 30 Iranian naval vessels to date, including a drone aircraft carrier of the size comparable to a WWII-era carrier. He also mentioned that the US military is utilizing new capabilities in their operations.
According to the commander of the US Central Command, in the past 24 hours, the Iranian ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90%, drone attacks by 83%, and the US strikes on the Iranian Navy have intensified, resulting in the sinking of 30 ships and hitting a burning unmanned drone carrier.
During the press conference at the Central Command Headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Cooper revealed that within the past few hours, the US military had attacked an Iranian unmanned drone carrier of similar size to a WWII-era aircraft carrier. “As we speak, it is still ablaze,” said Cooper.
Secretary Hagsess emphasized in the press conference that the US has “sufficient ammunition.” He stated, “We have an ample supply of both defensive and offensive weapons to sustain this battle until we no longer need it. We are just getting started, and it is a fight to the finish.”
Admiral Cooper highlighted that over the last few days, the joint forces have been relentlessly destroying Iranian air defense systems and continue to seek out more targets for destruction. He commended the performance of the air defense forces, stating he was immensely proud of their efforts.
Cooper also mentioned that in the past 72 hours, the US targeted 200 deep targets within Iran, dropped dozens of bombs on Iranian ballistic missile launch sites, and attacked the Iranian Space Command.
He further stated that the US is “fully committed to achieving victory” in the conflict with Iran but acknowledged that this war “will take some time.”
Admiral Cooper stressed that the US is deploying “a range of new capabilities” in the war against Iran. He explained that the US is not solely relying on expensive weapons to intercept relatively inexpensive drones but has been using inexpensive weapons to take down more costly drones, which is a significant strategy shift.
Cooper also highlighted the importance of the LUCAS attack drone system developed after capturing and reverse-engineering Iranian drones.
During the same press conference, Secretary Hagsess underlined the US’s “steadfast will” in the fight against Iran and paid tribute to the six fallen American soldiers. He expressed, “Iran hopes that we cannot sustain the current intensity of the attacks, which is a grave misjudgment for the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. You see, America’s determination is unwavering. We honor and salute the six fallen soldiers who have given everything for the country and this mission, and we will soon welcome them home in Dover. We remember them. But we honor them by reaffirming our loyalty to this mission more resolutely.”
The US military confirmed that the six US soldiers who died in a drone attack in Kuwait on Sunday belonged to the Army Reserve Logistics Battalion of Iowa.
Secretary Hagsess reiterated on Thursday that while the US launches military operations against Iran, the Iranian people should not engage in protest activities. However, he pointed out that someday President Trump or the Iranian people will realize “the time is right, the opportunity is there,” to rise against the current government.
He stated, “Nobody has done more than President Trump to create opportunities for those who desire freedom in Iran. Ultimately, as he said from the beginning, it’s common sense not to protest when the bombs are falling in Tehran and elsewhere. So, someday, he or they will think the time is right, the opportunity is there.”
“We are taking a lot of actions, and the Israeli military is acting as well, hitting individuals who attack protesters,” he added. “The more you (US and Israeli military) do this, the more you weaken their will and capability, creating the opportunity for people to bravely stand up.”
Admiral Cooper echoed Hagsess and President Trump’s views, suggesting that the Iranian people should stay at home and “not interfere” with the military operations.
“The US and Israel have committed significant forces, and we are targeting many objectives; the best course of action for them (the Iranian people) now is to keep a low profile,” Cooper mentioned.
The Navy Admiral also mentioned that the US military is targeting the regime forces suppressing Iranian protesters.