Iran's ability to threaten its neighbors and US interests has been dramatically reduced by US bombings, and Tehran's defense industry has been set back by 90%, a senior US admiral said on Thursday.
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), sought to underscore the tactical successes of the military campaign against Iran that he oversaw, saying the war had dramatically reduced the danger Iran posed to the broader Middle East.
Cooper declined to directly address reports by Reuters and other news organizations that Iran, which stockpiled arms in underground facilities, had retained significant missile and drone capabilities. Those reports cited US intelligence sources.
Iran can no longer threaten US
"Iran has a significantly degraded threat, and they no longer threaten regional partners, or the United States, in ways that they were able to do before, across every domain," Cooper told a US Senate committee.
"They've been significantly degraded."
Cooper also said Iran was no longer able to transfer arms and other resources to its main allies in the region: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza.
"Those transfer paths and methods have been cut off," he said.
"Taking on the disarmament of Hezbollah is a tall order," Cooper said. "They've been funded by Iran for decades with billions of dollars, and Hezbollah is inculcated into every fabric of the Lebanese society."
"I think right now, our continued commitment, with modest dollars to the Lebanese Armed Forces, is helpful. They have, in particular, several units that can do more. We have to be; I believe our commitment could be to provide the necessary funding so they can do more."