An Iranian military spokesman defiantly vowed on Tuesday that Tehran’s forces will fight “until complete victory” despite heavy losses inflicted by the joint US-Israeli campaign.
The comment from Major General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the central headquarters of Khatam-al Anbiya, Iran’s top military command, comes after President Donald Trump on Monday halted planned US strikes on Iran, citing diplomatic progress.
“Iran’s mighty armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory,” Iranian state television quoted Aliabadi as saying, according to The Associated Press. It added that Aliabadi did not say what a “complete victory” would look like.
Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, has resulted in the destruction or damage to more than 140 Iranian naval vessels, US Central Command said on Monday. In total, more than 9,000 combat flights were flown as part of the campaign.
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According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces attacked 16 Iranian mine-laying ships on March 10. (US Central Command/X)
“CENTCOM forces are being targeted to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an immediate threat,” CENTCOM said.
Targeted assets include Iranian naval ships and submarines, air defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, military communications infrastructure, and facilities involved in ballistic missile and drone production.
On Friday, Trump, speaking of Iran, said: “Their Navy is gone, their air force is gone, their air defenses are all gone.”
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Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the start of Operation Epic Fury. (Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)
“Their leaders are all gone. The next group of leaders are all gone. And the next group of leaders is mostly gone,” Trump continued. ‘And now no one wants to be leader there anymore. We’re having a hard time. We want to talk to them and there is no one to talk to.”
Trump also said: “In recent weeks, the world has seen the true strength and power of our sailors and airmen as they fought in one of the most complex and successful military operations of all time against the Iranian regime.”
A U.S. sailor signals the launch of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on Feb. 28 while supporting Operation Epic Fury at sea. (US Navy via Getty Images)
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“And it’s amazing… I don’t want to get too crazy here, no contest. It’s not even a contest. They do whatever they want,” Trump said.
