U.S. Strikes Destroy Most of Iran's Naval Mines and Much of Its Military Industry, Centcom Commander Tells Congress

U.S. Central Command, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 14, 2026.

The bombing campaign achieved all of its objectives to degrade Iran's military capabilities, Cooper said. Operation Epic Fury damaged or destroyed more than 85 percent of Iran's ballistic missile, drone and naval industrial base through more than 1,450 strikes on weapons-manufacturing facilities. Iran has roughly 10 percent of drone and missile capability left.

It would take Iran a generation to rebuild its navy and years for its drone and missile production to recover, Cooper told lawmakers. He stated that recent reporting Iran retains about 70 percent of its ballistic missile inventory is inaccurate. CBS News reported in April that Iran retained at least half of its ballistic missiles and launchers.

U.S. Central Command saw an increase in Iran's capability and intent to produce more ballistic missiles. Cooper said this presented a very significant risk that factored into the objectives of Operation Epic Fury.

A ceasefire was reached on April 7 and remains in effect. U.S. Navy is maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports, and there were exchanges of fire last week. The administration has told Congress that hostilities with Iran have terminated.

Cooper said the Iranian ability to stop commerce through the Strait of Hormuz has been dramatically degraded, even as Tehran continues to claim control of the strait. "The Iranian ability to stop commerce has been dramatically degraded through the straits, but their voice is very loud, and those threats are clearly heard by the merchant industry and the insurance industry," Cooper said.

U.S. forces destroyed most of Iran's sea mines. U.S. has options to reopen the Strait of Hormuz militarily but that is a decision for policymakers.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia stated that the Senate Armed Services Committee has not seen the Office of Legal Counsel opinion justifying the president's authority to launch strikes against Iran. 5 trillion budget.

5 trillion budget, but our request of the DOJ to see the OLC opinion justifying this war — they have refused to allow members of the Armed Services Committee to see it," Kaine said.