{"id":22595,"date":"2026-03-06T07:06:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T07:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/centcom-control-skies-strikes-iran\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T07:06:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T07:06:39","slug":"centcom-control-skies-strikes-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/centcom-control-skies-strikes-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"CENTCOM: US Forces &#8216;Control the Skies&#8217; \u2014 New Footage Shows Strikes on Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday that American forces &#8220;control the skies&#8221; over Iran and released video it says documents fresh strikes aimed at degrading Tehran\u2019s mobile missile launch capabilities. The command said the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is conducting around\u2011the\u2011clock operations in support of Operation Epic Fury, including maritime\u2011launched strikes. Officials and media reporting place the operation in its first week, with at least 1,230 reported fatalities in Iran and six U.S. service members killed in Kuwait. CENTCOM characterized the campaign as an effort to destroy Iran\u2019s ability to reconstitute missile and naval assets.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>CENTCOM released footage on Thursday showing what it describes as precision strikes on Iranian mobile missile launchers and a large Iranian vessel described by the command as a drone carrier.<\/li>\n<li>Adm. Brad Cooper said U.S. forces have engaged more than 30 Iranian ships and that the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is operating continuously in support of Operation Epic Fury.<\/li>\n<li>President Trump and senior U.S. officials said the campaign aims to degrade Iran\u2019s ballistic missile industrial base and sustain air superiority over Iranian airspace.<\/li>\n<li>Independent tallies and media reporting put Iranian deaths from the wider campaign at about 1,230 people; six U.S. service members were reported killed in Kuwait during the hostilities.<\/li>\n<li>Global effects include a severe slowdown of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, crude price increases of more than 15% since the fighting began, and NATO increasing its ballistic missile defense posture.<\/li>\n<li>Diplomatic responses have been mixed: China and several European leaders urged de\u2011escalation while some U.S. partners allowed basing access and evacuation support for nationals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The actions follow a U.S.\u2013Israeli operation in Iran that began earlier in the week; CENTCOM and Israeli forces have said they are striking command centers, missile launchers and other military infrastructure. U.S. officials describe the campaign as Operation Epic Fury and say it builds on prior actions, including a June 2025 campaign known as Operation Midnight Hammer that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. leadership has framed the campaign as aimed at denying Tehran the capability to strike regionally and to rebuild missile forces. Congressional and public debate has accompanied the military effort: the House voted on Thursday to allow the administration to continue the operation after a bid to curtail the president\u2019s authority failed.<\/p>\n<p>Regional states and international organizations have responded with emergency measures: evacuations of foreign nationals, closed or redirected shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and heightened air defenses across several countries. Humanitarian organizations have warned about mounting civilian harm inside Iran amid sustained aerial and naval strikes.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>CENTCOM published a video Thursday showing strikes it says were launched from sea platforms to locate and destroy mobile missile launchers and other regime targets. The command posted images from the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and described around\u2011the\u2011clock flight operations supporting the effort. CENTCOM also asserted that an Iranian vessel described as a drone carrier was struck and caught fire.<\/p>\n<p>In a CENTCOM briefing at headquarters in Tampa, Adm. Brad Cooper said U.S. forces have engaged \u201cover 30 ships\u201d and that the president has tasked forces to degrade Iran\u2019s ballistic missile industrial base to prevent rapid reconstitution. The command attributed many of its actions to coordinated air and maritime strikes conducted with coalition partners.<\/p>\n<p>Separately, allied and partner statements describe tactical developments including new long\u2011range Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) deployed in the campaign and Israel reporting large\u2011scale strikes in Tehran and other internal Iranian targets. Israel\u2019s military also released footage it says shows an Israeli fighter shooting down an Iranian aircraft over Tehran.<\/p>\n<p>Hostile acts and counterattacks have been reported across the region. Iran has launched missiles and drones at multiple countries, and several states reported intercepts or limited damage. The disruption has produced immediate economic effects, most visibly a sharp reduction in tanker transits through the Strait of Hormuz and a jump in oil prices.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>Operationally, CENTCOM\u2019s maritime\u2011launched campaign aims to exploit the reach of carrier air wings and naval fires to attack mobile missile systems that are difficult to fix from the air alone. If accurate, claims of sea\u2011launched strikes and PrSM use indicate a shift toward layered, longer\u2011range fires designed to limit Iran\u2019s ability to reposition or rebuild launch platforms.<\/p>\n<p>Strategically, the campaign raises escalation risks. Strikes on Iranian territory, coupled with Iran\u2019s cross\u2011border and regional responses, have widened the conflict footprint and triggered allied defensive steps \u2014 including NATO\u2019s ramped\u2011up ballistic missile posture and evacuation planning by several European governments. The risk of miscalculation grows as more states move assets into the theater.<\/p>\n<p>Economically, the near\u2011halt of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 a conduit for roughly one\u2011fifth of global LNG and a large share of crude shipments \u2014 is already pressuring energy markets. Prolonged disruption would likely accelerate price volatility and force shippers and consuming states to reroute supply at higher cost.<\/p>\n<p>Politically, the operation complicates alliance management. Some partners have openly supported U.S. objectives or provided basing and evacuation assistance; others \u2014 including China and certain European leaders \u2014 called for restraint and warned against widening the conflict. Domestically in the U.S., the operation has become a point of contention in Congress and public debate over war powers and strategic goals.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Metric<\/th>\n<th>Reported Figure<\/th>\n<th>Reported By<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Reported Iranian fatalities (campaign)<\/td>\n<td>~1,230<\/td>\n<td>The Associated Press (media)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>U.S. service members killed in Kuwait<\/td>\n<td>6<\/td>\n<td>Media reports (official briefings)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Warship sinking off Sri Lanka (March 4)<\/td>\n<td>At least 87 reported killed; ship named Frigate Dena with ~130 aboard per Iranian statement<\/td>\n<td>National leaders, media<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ships claimed taken out (administration figure)<\/td>\n<td>24 in three days (administration statement)<\/td>\n<td>President&#8217;s public remarks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table above juxtaposes official and media\u2011reported figures; numbers vary by source and by the methodology used to verify battlefield effects. Casualty and strike counts reported early in a campaign are often revised as independent investigators, humanitarian groups, and state actors provide more data. Analysts caution that figures released by combatant commands and political leaders are authoritative for intent but may lag or diverge from independent verification.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<p>U.S. military and political leaders framed the strikes as necessary to undermine Tehran\u2019s strike capabilities and sustain allied defense. Excerpts below capture official framing and humanitarian concern.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We are finding and destroying these threats with lethal precision,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>CENTCOM (public statement)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This line accompanied CENTCOM&#8217;s release of imagery and video of strikes; the command presented the footage as evidence of maritime\u2011launched interdictions of mobile launchers and naval targets.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>President Donald Trump (interview)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The president acknowledged domestic risks tied to wartime operations while emphasizing the administration\u2019s objectives to degrade Iran\u2019s military capacity. His remarks also framed political messaging around mission scope and duration.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;The military escalation in the Middle East is igniting a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Mirjana Spoljaric (ICRC President)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The International Committee of the Red Cross emphasized civilian protection concerns, citing steady explosions and displacement inside Iran and warning of mounting humanitarian costs.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: PrSM, mobile missile launchers, and &#8216;drone carriers&#8217;<\/summary>\n<p>PrSM (Precision Strike Missile) is a U.S. Army\u2011developed, surface\u2011to\u2011surface long\u2011range guided missile intended to extend strike range beyond legacy systems like ATACMS. Mobile missile launchers refer to transportable platforms that can move launchers to avoid detection and complicate targeting. CENTCOM described striking an Iranian vessel characterized as a &#8220;drone carrier,&#8221; meaning a ship configured to launch or recover unmanned aerial vehicles; the exact classification and capability of that vessel remain under assessment by open sources.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The exact classification and size of the Iranian vessel CENTCOM called a &#8220;drone carrier&#8221; and the full inventory of drones aboard remain publicly unverified.<\/li>\n<li>Counts of ships struck or destroyed differ between CENTCOM briefings, presidential statements, and independent open\u2011source tracking; independent confirmation of the exact number is pending.<\/li>\n<li>Casualty and passenger figures for the Iranian warship struck off Sri Lanka (datasets vary between ~87 reported killed and statements alleging ~130 aboard) have not been fully reconciled by neutral investigators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>The CENTCOM video and accompanying briefings illustrate a U.S. emphasis on maritime\u2011launched precision fires and a campaign goal of denying Iran rapid reconstitution of missile and naval strike capabilities. The administration frames these actions as targeted and necessary to protect partners and degrade threats, while humanitarian organizations warn of rising civilian tolls.<\/p>\n<p>Key near\u2011term items to watch: independent verification of strike and casualty counts, whether allied support expands or fractures, trajectories for Strait of Hormuz traffic and energy markets, and diplomatic moves by major powers (including China, European states and NATO) that could either constrain or amplify the conflict. The risk of escalation remains material as combatants and third\u2011party states respond to battlefield developments.<\/p>\n<h3>Sources<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/live-news\/us-iran-israel-war-latest-march-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News (media report)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.centcom.mil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. Central Command (official military)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.icrc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">International Committee of the Red Cross (humanitarian organization)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters (news agency)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apnews.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Associated Press (news agency)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday that American forces &#8220;control the skies&#8221; over Iran and released video it says documents fresh strikes aimed at degrading Tehran\u2019s mobile missile launch capabilities. The command said the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is conducting around\u2011the\u2011clock operations in support of Operation Epic Fury, including maritime\u2011launched strikes. Officials and &#8230; <a title=\"CENTCOM: US Forces &#8216;Control the Skies&#8217; \u2014 New Footage Shows Strikes on Iran\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/centcom-control-skies-strikes-iran\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about CENTCOM: US Forces &#8216;Control the Skies&#8217; \u2014 New Footage Shows Strikes on Iran\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"CENTCOM: US Forces 'Control the Skies' \u2014 Iran Strikes | DeepDive","rank_math_description":"CENTCOM released footage Thursday saying U.S. forces \"control the skies\" and showing strikes on Iran's missile and naval sites during Operation Epic Fury; analysis, data and reactions.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"CENTCOM, Iran, Gerald R. Ford Carrier, Operation Epic Fury, strikes","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22595\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}