WASHINGTON — The US war on Iran has degraded Tehran’s ability to launch or direct another mass atrocity on Israel like the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, the top officer in charge of the US military in the Middle East testified Tuesday.

Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, told the House Armed Services Committee that Operation Epic Fury, combined with the American strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure last year, set back Iran’s ability to wage war by more than four decades.

“Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis have been cut off from the decades-long flow of military supplies, thus mitigating and eliminating any chance of a future Oct. 7,” he said.

Cooper also estimated the US had wiped out roughly 85% of Iran’s ability to produce more ballistic missiles and drones.

The war so far has aimed to wipe out Iran’s “three pillars of intimidation and coercion: their nuclear program, their ballistic missiles and drones, and their proxies — especially Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis,” all three of which have been addressed in different ways.

While nuclear is currently being handled through negotiations, Cooper said the military since Feb. 28 has “significantly degraded Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones, while destroying 90% of their defense industrial base, ensuring that Iran cannot reconstitute for years.”

“Iran spent decades and billions of dollars arming proxies. Today, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are cut off from Iran’s weapons supply and support,” he said. “Said a different way, America, American military action derailed Iran’s strategy that was 47 years in the making.”

His claim about the “significant” degradation to Iran’s weapons stockpile comes after the New York Times last week reported that about 70% of Iran’s pre-war missile stockpile and mobile launchers remained untouched despite the war, citing US intelligence.

But Cooper stated in his written testimony that the US had “damaged or destroyed over 85 percent of Iran’s ballistic missile, drone and naval defense industrial base.”

“In 38 days of major combat operations in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces, America’s servicemembers delivered a long-term rollback of Iran’s ability to project power in the region
and beyond,” he wrote.

“Across more than 10,200 sorties and over 13,500 strikes, we targeted the full breadth of the regime’s ability to project power.”

While he did not specifically address the pre-war missile stockpile, he emphasized that Iran is no longer capable of adding to its weapons stash after “more than 1,450 strikes on weapons manufacturing facilities set the regime’s ability to build and stockpile ballistic missiles and long-range drones back by years.”

Regardless, ranking member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said it did not change his personal view that “strategically, we are in a disaster right now,” citing the economic impact of Iran shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.

“Frankly, I don’t care whether they’ve got 75% less ballistic missiles, 80% less ballistic missiles,” he said. “Clearly, the regime is in place, it’s not going anywhere, it is more hard line than it was when this war started.”

Smith further challenged Cooper on reports that the US was behind a Feb. 28 strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, which local officials said killed 168 children.

Pressed whether the US is willing to take responsibility for the attack, Cooper said the incident was under investigation — but stopped short of taking accountability for the civilian deaths.

“The United States does not deliberately target civilians,” Cooper said.

Frustrated with his response, Smith charged that the admiral’s response amounted to the US not taking “responsibility for something we very obviously did.”

Cooper responded that the investigation is “complex,” and that more time is needed before he can give a full answer.

“The school itself is located on an active IRGC cruise missile base, so it’s more complex than the average strike,” he said. “As soon as we’re complete, I’m fully committed to transparency, given your important oversight role, and the other members here.”