U.S. Central Command says American forces have conducted more than 6,000 combat sorties over Iran since Operation Epic Fury began at 01:15 on 28 February 2026 under presidential authorization. The campaign targets sites assessed to pose an immediate threat and has already struck roughly 6,000 locations across the country.
- According to CENTCOM’s 12 March operational update, the strikes have also damaged or destroyed more than 90 Iranian naval vessels, including over 60 ships and more than 30 minelayers.
The operation represents one of the largest sustained U.S. air campaigns in the region in decades and appears focused on weakening Iran’s maritime capabilities and military infrastructure.
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| A U.S. Air Force F-16 departs on a mission in the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2, 2026. (Picture source: US DoD) |
During the opening week of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) assigned to the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment of the Wisconsin National Guard’s 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade conducted combat launches of ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles against Iranian military targets. The missiles were fired from positions in Kuwait, extending the U.S. Army's ground-based strike reach deep into Iranian territory. The operation highlights the increasing reliance on HIMARS as a precision deep-strike platform capable of engaging high-value infrastructure from standoff distances exceeding 300 kilometers. Defense officials indicate the strikes were part of a broader campaign targeting Iranian missile facilities and command nodes.
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| U.S. Army M142 HIMARS units from the Wisconsin National Guard launch ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles from Kuwait during Operation Epic Fury, striking Iranian military infrastructure and demonstrating the expanding role of U.S. ground-based long-range precision fires against hardened regional targets. (Picture source: U.S. CENTCOM) |
Mar
16
U.S. startup develops iRX-100 rocket up to 100 times cheaper than a Patriot missile to counter drones
The U.S aerospace company iRocket conducted a flight demonstration of the iRX-100 interceptor missile launched from an Arnold Defense 70mm rocket launcher, validating its compatibility with existing Hydra 70 launcher systems and flight performance. This Mach 2 missile is designed to intercept drones using existing Hydra 70 launcher infrastructure at up to one hundred times cheaper than large surface-to-air interceptors such as Patriot.
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| If the iRX-100 follows a similar production and propulsion model to Hydra 70-based weapons, such as the APKWS, one Patriot interceptor could represent the equivalent cost of roughly 100 to even up to 200 iRX-100 missiles. (Picture source: iRocket) |
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