US Says Iranian Missile, Drone Attacks Declining as Operations Continue

A senior US military official has described recent developments in the Middle East conflict as “steady progress,” saying Iranian missile and drone launches have dropped sharply since the start of hostilities.

Speaking at a press briefing at the United States Department of Defense on Wednesday, General John D. Caine said that by Wednesday morning the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) had been making continuous gains in its operations.

According to Caine, Iran’s rate of launching ballistic missiles has fallen by 86 percent compared with the first day of the conflict. He added that the pace of the decline has accelerated further in recent hours.

The general also said that in the past 24 hours, missile launches had dropped by an additional 23 percent, while the launch rate of one-way attack drones — often referred to as suicide drones — had decreased by 73 percent.

Caine said the reduction in Iranian missile and drone attacks has given US forces an opportunity to expand their strategic advantage in the region.

Key Objectives of the Operation

During the briefing, Caine outlined three main objectives of the ongoing military campaign:

1. Neutralize the threat posed by Iran’s ballistic missiles.

2. Weaken or destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.

3. Prevent Iran from quickly rebuilding its military capabilities.

Strikes and Military Impact

The US official said American forces have so far struck more than 2,000 targets during the operation and destroyed over 20 Iranian naval vessels. As a result, Iran’s main naval presence in the region has been largely neutralized.

Caine added that the progress has allowed CENTCOM to establish air superiority across much of Iran’s southern coastline and penetrate the country’s air defense systems with high precision and destructive force.

“We will now begin advancing further into the mainland and gradually strike deeper inside Iran,” he said.

The general noted that US forces are shifting their focus from long-range strikes to short-range, precision attacks.

He also confirmed that the US military has sufficient supplies of precision-guided munitions to sustain the operation, though he declined to disclose the exact quantity for security reasons.