US says strikes expanding deeper into Iran, targets missile and naval sites


The US military is expanding strikes deeper into Iranian territory as part of efforts to degrade its missile, drone and naval capabilities, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on Thursday.
“CENTCOM remains on plan… and remains unrelenting in our pursuit of Iranian missile capabilities, UAV capabilities and their navy,” Caine said during a briefing.
He said US forces had used 5,000-pound bunker-busting munitions against underground facilities storing coastal defense cruise missiles.
“These weapons are designed to get through concrete… and function after penetrating those barriers,” he said.
Caine said US forces were targeting mine storage sites, naval depots and vessels, adding that more than 120 vessels and dozens of mine-laying platforms had been hit.
“We’re flying further to the east now and penetrating deeper into Iranian airspace,” he said.
He added that A-10 aircraft and Apache helicopters were operating in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas, targeting fast attack boats and Iranian-aligned groups.