The United States will continue military operations aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the head of US Central Command said on Monday.

In a video statement posted on X, Brad Cooper said US forces were determined to protect freedom of navigation in and around the vital maritime corridor.

“We will continue to rapidly deplete Iran’s ability to threaten the freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz,” Cooper said, though he did not provide details on how the United States plans to fully reopen the waterway.

The strait, a crucial passage for global energy supplies, has effectively been closed following escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.

According to Cooper, US strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub last week destroyed more than 90 military targets, including bunkers storing naval mines and missiles.

He said that over the past 16 days US forces have conducted more than 6,000 combat missions, destroying over 100 Iranian naval vessels. During the same period, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at targets across around a dozen countries in the region.

The United States and Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iranian targets on February 28, triggering a sharp disruption in global shipping and pushing oil prices higher.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it destroyed an aircraft used by Iran’s top leadership at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, a move it claimed would disrupt coordination between Iranian officials and allied groups.

Israel also reported carrying out strikes on infrastructure in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz as the US-Israeli campaign against Iran entered its 17th day.