Washington, Feb 28, (IANS) The U.S. Central Command said it commenced “Operation Epic Fury” in the early hours of Saturday, describing it as the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.
In a statement issued from Tampa, Florida, CENTCOM said the operation began “at the direction of the President of the United States.”
U.S. and partner forces started striking targets at 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time “to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritising locations that posed an imminent threat,” the statement said.
According to CENTCOM, targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defence capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
The command said the first hours of the operation involved precision munitions launched from air, land and sea platforms. It also confirmed that CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.
Following the initial wave of U.S. and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces “successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks,” the statement said.
“There have been no reports of U.S. casualties or combat-related injuries,” it added, noting that damage to U.S. installations was minimal and has not impacted operations.
CENTCOM said Operation Epic Fury represents “the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation,” underscoring the scale of the campaign now underway in and around Iran.
The statement did not specify the duration of the operation but indicated that strikes were ongoing as of early Saturday.
–IANS
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