White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that U.S. military operations against Iran have intensified significantly, with more than 11,000 targets struck as part of an ongoing campaign that she said is systematically dismantling the regime’s military capabilities and increasing pressure on its leadership to negotiate.
Speaking during a March 30 briefing, Leavitt described the operation’s progress in detail, emphasizing the scale and impact of the strikes carried out under Operation Epic Fury. She stated, “With respect to the ongoing major combat operations in Iran, Operation Epic Fury is moving ahead successfully and according to plan. With each passing day, the United States military is increasing its advantage over the terrorist Iranian regime. More than 11,000 enemy targets have been struck to date. Each strike further crippling the regime’s offensive and defensive capabilities and creating more leverage for the United States and our allies.”
Leavitt: The United States is conducting more intense targeted strikes with devastating power. It is no surprise that we are seeing the remaining elements of the regime eager to come to the negotiating table while they still can. Despite all of the public posturing you hear from… pic.twitter.com/RTho17GVm9
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 30, 2026
According to Leavitt, the sustained air and naval campaign has sharply degraded Iran’s ability to conduct attacks. She said ballistic missile and drone strikes from Iran have dropped by roughly 90 percent since the start of the operation, while U.S. forces have destroyed more than 150 Iranian naval vessels, including the vast majority of its largest ships. She added that the Iranian Navy no longer operates in major regional waterways and has been rendered unable to project power.
Leavitt also pointed to the destruction of Iran’s defense industrial base, saying nearly 70 percent of its missile, drone, and naval production facilities and shipyards have been damaged or destroyed. At the same time, U.S. and Israeli forces have carried out more than 11,000 combat flights, establishing air dominance over Iranian territory. She said these developments reflect a clear escalation in operational intensity. “The trend remains clear. The United States is conducting more intense targeted strikes with devastating combat power with each passing day to destroy the threat posed by the Iranian terrorist regime as President Trump sought out to do a month ago.”
The campaign has also targeted senior leadership within Iran, with multiple high-ranking officials killed, including the country’s supreme leader and dozens of other regime figures, further destabilizing command structures and internal coordination.
Leavitt said the cumulative impact of these actions is driving a shift in the regime’s posture. “It’s no surprise that we are seeing the remaining elements of the regime become increasingly eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table while they still can. Despite all of the public posturing you hear from the regime and false reporting, talks are continuing and going well. What is said publicly is of course much different than what’s being communicated to us privately.”