The US military stated on Saturday that Iran’s capacity to pose a threat to the Strait of Hormuz has been weakened following this week’s airstrikes on an underground site used to store cruise missiles and other weapons.
The U.S. military stated on Saturday that a bombing raid earlier this week on an underground facility—where Iran had stockpiled cruise missiles and other weaponry—has “degraded” Iran’s capability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has largely restricted access to the Strait, which serves as the gateway for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Consequently, the U.S. military has deployed some of the heaviest bombs in its arsenal to penetrate nearby missile sites.
Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), announced that they dropped multiple 5,000-pound bombs on a “hardened” underground facility located on the Iranian coast, which was being used to store anti-ship cruise missiles, mobile missile launchers, and other equipment.
In a video message posted on X, Cooper stated, “We not only destroyed that facility, but we also eliminated intelligence support sites and missile radar relays that were used to track ship movements.”
He further added, “As a result, Iran’s capability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz has been diminished, and we will not cease pursuing these targets.”
CENTCOM had previously reported the use of bunker-buster bombs on Tuesday; however, in his message on Saturday, Cooper provided detailed insights into their impact—coming as Washington faces mounting pressure to address the repercussions of the conflict with Iran on global commerce and oil prices.
Due to the standoff in the Strait, crude oil prices have skyrocketed; over the past month, the price of a barrel of North Sea Brent crude has surged by more than 50 percent, now exceeding $105 per barrel.
On Friday, President Trump labeled NATO allies as “cowards” and called upon them to take action to secure the Strait. He also stated that the United States is close to achieving its military objectives and is considering “scaling down” its military efforts in the Middle East.
Cooper noted that over the past three weeks, the U.S. military has struck more than 8,000 military targets, including 130 Iranian vessels.
The 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) bombs—each estimated to cost $288,000, according to a 2022 report by Air Force Times—are less powerful than the 30,000-pound (13,600 kg) bombs dropped by the U.S. on Iranian nuclear sites last year.