US Military Dismantles Iran's Latest Naval Power: What You Need to Know

By Yang Won‑mo, The Public — U.S. forces said they neutralized all 4 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Soleimani-class warships during operations targeting Iran, and struck more than 60 Iranian vessels and over 5,500 targets, CENTCOM said.

CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper said in a 5-minute video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on March 11 that unpredictable, dynamic attacks have been occurring almost hourly across multiple areas and axes.

Cooper said the 4 Soleimani-class ships operated by the IRGC have been completely neutralized. Named for Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC commander killed in a U.S. strike in 2020, the vessels are Iran’s most advanced naval platforms. They are fitted with long-range shipboard air-defense missiles and have been central to Tehran’s asymmetric naval strategy.

Using a range of precision weapon systems, Cooper added, U.S. forces struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including over 60 vessels.

CENTCOM said it sank 16 ships the previous day, including Iranian mine-layers operating in the Strait of Hormuz.

At the briefing, Cooper said: "The Iranian regime has threatened merchant ships and U.S. forces in international waters. Our mission is to project power from the air in the Strait of Hormuz and end their ability to harass vessels."

He added: "We are using artificial intelligence tools in operations. Processes that used to take hours, and sometimes days, now take only seconds." Cooper praised the U.S. Space Force — established in 2019 during the Trump administration — saying it helps degrade Iran’s capabilities and protect U.S. forces.