White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claims it is “abundantly clear that Operation Epic Fury has been a resounding military triumph”, referring to American military operations in Iran.

In a press briefing, Leavitt claimed that over 9,000 targets in Iran have been struck to date, while Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks are down by 90pc since start of the Middle East war.

“The United States is also annihilating the Iranian regime’s navy; we have destroyed more than 140 over their naval vessels, including 50 minelayers,” she added. “We are systematically dismantling Iran’s defence-industrial base, which will prevent furutre threats to the region.”

Leavitt said that the US military is “laser-focused” on ensuring the free-flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz, while 5,000-pound bombs have been used to strike underground facilities storing missiles and other equipment.

“We are very close to meeting the core objectives of Operation Epic Fury and this mission continues unabated,” Leavitt said.