‘Nobody hunts better,’ Hegseth says as US expands Iran strike campaign

WASHINGTON, DC: US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Tuesday, March 3, that the military has struck more than 1,700 targets in Iran since the commencement of Operation Epic Fury.

This marks a significant escalation from Sunday's report of 1,000 targets, with approximately 700 additional sites neutralized in the last 48 hours.

Pete Hegseth praised the efficiency of the operation, noting that "nobody hunts better than @CENTCOM" as US control of the skies continues to increase.

The expanded offensive is prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat to regional stability.

CENTCOM reported that Iranian forces have been utilizing mobile launchers to indiscriminately fire missiles across the region, but US airpower is hunting these threats down "without apology or hesitation."

Advanced bombers and fighter jets deployed

A new military fact sheet released Tuesday confirmed the introduction of several heavy-hitting assets to the Iranian theater.

The listing of US assets now includes B-1 Bombers, long-range B-52 bombers, and B-2 Stealth Bombers. These are operating alongside a vast array of airpower, including F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, and F-35 fighter jets.

The primary types of targets engaged in the first 72 hours include Integrated Air Defense Systems, Ballistic Missile Sites, and IRGC Joint Headquarters.

Despite the operational success, the military faced a setback on Monday when three US F-15 fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses.

Targeting regional command and control centers

The scope of the air campaign extends beyond mobile hardware to the foundational infrastructure of the Iranian military.

According to CENTCOM’s latest data, US forces have prioritized the destruction of Command and Control Centers and IRGC Aerospace Forces Headquarters to blind the regime’s coordination efforts.

These high-value strikes are aimed at dismantling the security apparatus that manages regional proxy operations and missile deployment.

By utilizing electronic attack aircraft such as the EA-18G, the military is simultaneously severing military communication capabilities.

This systematic approach ensures that even if mobile launchers remain, the regime’s ability to synchronize a large-scale response is significantly crippled.

The hunt continues to focus on these central hubs to ensure the total degradation of the regime's operational control.

Sustained combat operations against Iranian Navy

Operation Epic Fury continues to focus on the systematic demilitarization of the Iranian regime's naval capabilities.

Struck targets include Iranian Navy ships, submarines, and anti-ship missile sites. President Trump has emphasized that the US is "stocked and ready to win," claiming a virtually unlimited supply of munitions to sustain this intensity.

While high-end inventory is not yet at ideal levels, the military is leveraging a broad spectrum of "special capabilities" and electronic attack aircraft like the EA-18G to disable military communication hubs.

The administration maintains that these operations are essential to ensuring Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon or continue destabilizing the world through its arsonist proxies.