Iran’s ability to threaten Strait of Hormuz has been 'degraded,' CENTCOM says

"My operational assessment continues to be Iran's combat capability is on the steady decline," says Adm. Brad Cooper

Published: March 21, 2026 11:03am

Updated: March 21, 2026 11:10am

The head of U.S. Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, said Saturday that Iran’s ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz has been "degraded" and that U.S. forces "remain on plan to eliminate Iran's ability to project meaningful power outside its borders."

Cooper said the U.S. carried out strikes using multiple 5,000-pound bombs on an underground facility along Iran’s coastline. The site was being used to store anti-ship cruise missiles, mobile launchers and other equipment that presented a "dangerous risk to international shipping."

"We not only took out the facility but also destroyed intelligence support sites and missile radar relays that were used to monitor ship movements," Cooper said in the video posted on X. "Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz is degraded as a result and we will not stop pursuing these targets."

He also said that "we have built the most extensive air defense umbrella in the world over the Middle East right now," adding that the U.S. has hit 8,000 targets and 130 Iranian vessels in the three-week war.

"My operational assessment continues to be Iran's combat capability is on the steady decline," he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical artery for global commerce, with about 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply passing through it under normal conditions. Iran’s de facto blockade of the waterway, along with repeated attacks on energy infrastructure across the region, has driven energy prices sharply higher.

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