An Iranian military official declared on Tuesday that Tehran’s forces remain committed to fighting “until complete victory,” despite significant setbacks from a joint operation by the U.S. and Israel.
Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, representing Iran’s top military command at the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, made this declaration following President Donald Trump’s decision to halt planned U.S. strikes on Iran, citing diplomatic advancements.
According to a report by The Associated Press, Iranian state television quoted Aliabadi emphasizing the resilience of Iran’s military, stating, “Iran’s powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory.” However, Aliabadi did not elaborate on what “complete victory” entails.
Since its initiation on February 28, Operation Epic Fury has led to the destruction or impairment of over 140 Iranian naval vessels, as reported by U.S. Central Command on Monday. The operation has seen more than 9,000 combat flights carried out.
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On March 10, U.S. forces targeted and struck 16 Iranian ships equipped for mine-laying operations, according to reports from CENTCOM.
“CENTCOM forces are striking targets to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat,” CENTCOM said.
Targeted assets include Iranian navy ships and submarines, air defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, military communication infrastructure and facilities involved in ballistic missile and drone manufacturing.
On Friday, Trump, speaking about Iran, said, “Their Navy’s gone, their Air Force is gone, their anti-aircraft is all gone.”
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Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the beginning of Operation Epic Fury. (Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)
“Their leaders are all gone. The next set of leaders are all gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone,” Trump continued. “And now, nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore. We’re having a hard time. We want to talk to them and there’s nobody to talk to.”
Trump also said, “Over the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and might of our sailors and aviators 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 while supporting Operation Epic Fury at sea on Feb. 28. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
“And it’s amazing… I don’t want to get too crazy here, not a contest. It’s not even a contest. They do whatever they want,” Trump said.
