Washington DC [US], March 20 (ANI): As the West Asia and Gulf conflict entered its third week, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon that the United States had destroyed 44 mine-laying Iranian vessels, deterring Iran’s ability to mine the Strait of Hormuz.
Gen. Caine said US CENTCOM “continue[s] to hunt and kill mine storage facilities and naval ammunition depots. We continue to hunt and kill afloat assets, including more than 120 vessels and 44 mine layers and the pressure will continue.”
He added that A-10 Warthogs have been deployed alongside AH-64 Apaches to “hunt and kill” Iranian vessels in the Straits of Hormuz. “The A-10 Warthog is now in the fight across the southern flank and is hunting and killing fast attack watercraft in the Straits of Hormuz. In addition, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank, and they continue to work on the southern side,” he said.
ABC News noted the A-10 has served since the 1970s as the Air Force’s close air support workhorse, its signature 30mm chain gun able to fire thousands of rounds per minute. A US Navy spokesperson told ABC News two of the Navy’s three counter-mine warships usually stationed in Bahrain were in a different theater for scheduled maintenance on Wednesday.
Military experts cited by ABC said deploying Marines to the region could enable ground raids targeting assets such as missile and drone depots along Iran’s coasts that might threaten US and commercial vessels.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States remains “on plan” in its operations against Iran but did not provide a timeline for an end to the conflict, saying the final decision would rest with President Donald Trump. (ANI)
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