US general says Iran navy ‘combat ineffective’ after strikes

The United States has rendered Iran’s navy “combat ineffective” and is continuing strikes to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine said on Friday.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Caine said US forces had struck more than 6,000 targets in Iran since the start of the operation and were continuing to target missile, drone and naval capabilities.

“The only thing preventing commercial traffic from flowing through the straits right now… is Iran,” he said, adding Tehran was “holding the straits closed.”

Caine said US forces were targeting Iran’s mine-laying capabilities, naval bases and missiles that could threaten shipping in the strategic waterway.

“In less than two weeks, we’ve rendered the Iranian navy combat ineffective,” he said.

He added that US forces had used long-range artillery systems to strike Iranian targets, including firing precision strike missiles for the first time in combat and using ATACMS missiles to sink several vessels, including a submarine.