Washington: The U.S. military has struck more than 5,500 targets in Iran, including over 60 ships, since its operation against Tehran began late last month, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Wednesday, noting it also hit a significant Iranian ballistic missile manufacturing facility the previous day.

According to Yonhap News Agency, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper provided an update on the operation, codenamed "Operation Epic Fury," in a video statement. The operation aims to end Iran's ability to project its power and disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway responsible for about one-fifth of the world's oil supplies.

Adm. Cooper reported that the U.S. military successfully targeted the last of four Soleimani-class warships. He described the U.S. strikes as "unpredictable," "dynamic," and "decisive." Additionally, a U.S. bomber force recently hit a large ballistic missile manufacturing facility on Tuesday night, emphasizing the operation's focus on neutralizing potential future threats.

The admiral highlighted the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by the U.S. military, achieving lethal effects on the battlefield in innovative ways. "Our fighters are leveraging a variety of advanced AI tools. These systems help us sift through vast amounts of data in seconds, enabling our leaders to make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react," Cooper stated. He assured that humans would always make the final decisions on targeting, but advanced AI tools significantly expedite processes that previously took hours or days.