TAMPA, Fla.—Ballistic missile attacks from Iran’s Islamic regime have decreased by 90 percent since Operation Epic Fury began six days ago.
Adm. Brad Cooper made that announcement to members of the press on March 5 at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. He also reported that drone attacks have decreased by 83 percent, and more than 30 of Iran’s naval vessels have been destroyed.
Specifically in the past 72 hours, the admiral noted that nearly 200 targets around Tehran and elsewhere deep inside Iran were struck by U.S. bombers, with two U.S. B-2 bombers dropping dozens of 2,000-pound “penetrator bombs” on buried ballistic missile launchers within the last hour before the press conference. A drone carrier ship was also struck.
The short-term measure will not offer a “significant financial benefit” to Moscow, as the license only “authorizes transactions involving oil already standardized at sea.”
“India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of U.S. oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a March 5 statement.
President Donald Trump gave an update on the military operation in Iran during an event at the White House on Thursday. Iran’s military has weakened considerably, but the fight will continue, he said.
The president noted that U.S.-Israeli joint strikes are destroying Iran's missile and drone systems faster than expected.
“They're calling; they're saying, ‘How do we make a deal?’ I said, ‘’You're being a little bit late.’” Trump told guests, referring to the regime in Iran.
When asked about the possibility of the war with Iran causing increased immigration into the United States, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth refuted such a possibility.
“I think it's safe to say there's no plan for a wave of new Middle Eastern refugees to the United States of America. I think, as the president has pointed out for a long time, there are a lot of countries in the region who would be capable of providing that kind of support if need be. But that's certainly not something we're planning on,” he said.
In the last 24 hours, Iranian ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90 percent and drone attacks have decreased by 83 percent since the start of the war in Iran, according to the U.S. military.
Central Command's Adm. Brad Cooper offered the update from Central Command Headquarters in Tampa, Florida alongside Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives has voted down a resolution that would place guardrails on the United States’ ongoing military operations in Iran.
A war powers resolution for President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury failed in a 212–219 vote on March 5.
Four Democrats broke with their party to vote against the bill: Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), and Greg Landsman (D-Ohio).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will share his country’s anti-Shahed drone technology and expertise with the United States, Europe, and allies in the Middle East.
Zelenskyy suggested that in exchange, Kyiv would need more Patriot missiles to defend against Russian attacks.
“Regarding weapons: we ourselves are at war. And I said, completely frankly, that we have a shortage of what they have,” Zelenskyy said on X on March 5, citing comments he gave in an interview with Italian network Rai Italia.
Countries from around the world have begun repatriating their citizens from the Middle East, amid escalating tensions in the region since the start of the war with Iran.
Travelers have found themselves stranded in the region after the United States and Israel began their operations against the Iranian regime, with much of the airspace being closed or restricted for days.According to an X post shared by the official White House Rapid Response account, State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott told CNN on March 5 that the department was working “24/7” to bring Americans home.
“Over 20,000 Americans have been able to return to the United States since this began, including the provision of direct assistance to nearly 10,000 by our 24/7 task force,” Pigott said.
Cypriot High Commissioner to the UK Kyriacos Kouros said on March 4 that Cypriots are disappointed with the UK government’s response following a drone strike on a British military base on the island.
Speaking to the BBC, when asked whether Cyprus felt adequately protected by the UK, Kouros said, “Let’s say that the people are disappointed, the people are scared, the people could expect more.”
A drone struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri base on the Mediterranean island on March 2 amid escalating tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran.
The War Department on March 4 revealed the identities of the last two of six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed by an Iranian drone attack on a U.S. Tactical Operations Center at a Kuwaiti port amid U.S. Operation Epic Fury against Iran.