Sharing operational updates of the US military action in Iran and calling them 'tremendous strides', the White House press secretary said that B-2 bombers had been used to drop several 2,000-pound penetrator bombs on missile sites in the country.
Key Points
- The White House said sending US ground troops to Iran has not been ruled out during Operation Epic Fury.
- Military operations will end once the US achieves its objectives and Iran is no longer seen as a credible threat.
- The US claims to have struck over 5,000 targets, destroyed 50+ Iranian naval vessels, and sharply reduced missile and drone attacks.
- The conflict has expanded across West Asia and disrupted oil supplies near the Strait of Hormuz, affecting global energy markets.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said that the United States has not ruled out the option of sending troops on the ground in Iran and that military operations in the Persian Gulf nation would end once the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are achieved.
She made the remarks while taking questions from the press during a media briefing.
When asked about concerns raised by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal about the possibility of boots on the ground, Leavitt told the media, "As for boots on the ground, the President has talked about this repeatedly. Wisely, he does not rule options out as Commander-in-Chief. So again, I would hesitate to confirm anything that a Democrat on Capitol Hill says right now about the President's thinking."
The Hill reported earlier that Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal left a Senate Armed Services Committee briefing on the Iran war on Tuesday, telling reporters that he believes the Trump administration is on a path toward putting American troops on the ground in Iran.
He said, "We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran to accomplish some of the potential objectives."
Operations in Iran will end when...: White House
When asked about the end of US military operations in Iran, Leavitt said they would halt once the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are met.
"When those objectives are met, the President will dictate the end of these operations when he deems that Iran no longer poses a credible threat to the United States of America," she said.
She added, "Regarding the timeline of the military operation with respect to Iran, we have objectives that the Commander-in-Chief wants to see achieved. When they are achieved, it will ultimately be up to the President to end these operations."
Sharing operational updates of the US military action in Iran and calling them 'tremendous strides', the White House press secretary said that B-2 bombers had been used to drop several 2,000-pound penetrator bombs on missile sites in the country.
She said, "The United States military is making tremendous strides toward achieving our objectives for Operation Epic Fury. More than 5,000 enemy targets have been struck so far. Iran's ballistic missile attacks are down more than 90 per cent, and drone attacks are down by approximately 85 per cent since the start of the operation. The United States is also annihilating the Iranian regime's navy. More than 50 Iranian naval vessels, including a major drone carrier ship, have been destroyed."
Leavitt added that B-2 bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs on deeply buried missile sites.
The remarks come amid an escalating security situation in Middle East, where the conflict has expanded beyond Iran.
Iranian retaliatory strikes using missiles and drones have targeted US military bases, embassies, and energy infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
The conflict has also disrupted global energy supplies, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 per cent of the world's oil supply passes.
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