Tampa (Florida) [US], March 4 (ANI): The United States' Operation Epic Fury continued on day four with the intensity of strikes increasing even as Iran retaliated with counter offensive targeting US assets in the Gulf.

On Tuesday (local time) Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of United States Central Command in briefing said that the US will not stop and that Iran's ability to hit back was declining rapidly.

'Now, we're less than 100 hours into this operation, and we've already struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions. We have severely degraded Iran's air defences and destroyed hundreds of Iran's ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones. In simple terms, we're focused on shooting all the things that can shoot at us. Our B-2 bombers and B-1 bombers have executed uncontested surgical strikes against multiple missile facilities deep inside Iran. And then just last night, a B-52 bomber force struck ballistic missile and command and control posts,' he said.

Admiral Brad Cooper also said that not a single Iranian vessel was operation in the Arabian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz.

'We are also sinking the Iranian Navy--the entire navy. Thus far, we've destroyed 17 Iranian ships, including the most operational Iranian submarine, that now has a hole in its side. For decades, the Iranian regime has harassed international shipping. Today, there's not a single Iranian ship underway in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Gulf of Oman. And we will not stop. We will continue to conduct dynamic targeting operations. We're hunting Iran's last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate what I would characterize as their lingering launch capability,' he said.

Admiral Cooper said that the US was far ahead of its game plan for the combat operation and Iran was losing its ability to hit back.

'In retaliation, the Iranian regime has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones. To be clear, Iran is indiscriminately targeting civilians as they launch these missiles and drones. You've seen it on TV; the evidence is crystal clear and overwhelming. Having said this, we are seeing Iran's ability to hit us and our partners is declining, while our combat power, on the other hand, is building. And my overall operational assessment is that we are ahead of our game plan. Along the way, every single branch of our military is achieving unprecedented success.

Admiral Cooper further said that the US and Israel Air force were dominating the skies with one way attack-drones achieving great success.

'U.S. Air Forces are doing what they do best: executing a high volume of air strikes right into Iran. Operationally, the two most powerful air forces in the world, the U.S. and Israel, are dominating the skies over the world's largest state sponsor of terror. Also, for the first time, U.S. Central Command's drone task force, called Task Force Scorpion Strike, launched countless one-way attack drones, achieving massive effects. Our military objectives are crystal clear, and our people are executing an immensely complex and historic mission with relentless lethality, conviction, and professionalism. And we've just begun. But I have the utmost confidence that we, alongside our partners, will absolutely achieve our military objectives,' he added.

Despite this assurance, Iran's counter continues. Fox News, citing a source, has reported that a CIA station inside the US Embassy compound in Riyadh was hit in a drone attack. Two drones caused structural damage and smoke inside the compound, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries, said the news report.

Earlier, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following military strikes on Iran, a fire that broke out near the premises of the US Consulate General in Dubai late Tuesday night, following a suspected drone strike, has been fully extinguished, with authorities confirming that no injuries were reported.

Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained. Emergency teams responded immediately. No injuries have been reported.

The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with other key figures in the Persian Gulf country. In retaliation, Tehran has responded with counter-strikes targeting American military bases and other Israeli assets across the region. (ANI)