US says Iran is attacking civilians “out of desperation”

The head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, assured that Iran has intensified its attacks against civilian targets in the Middle East as a sign of “desperation”, in a context of increasing military pressure and deterioration of its operational capabilities.

According to their statements, in recent weeks the Iranian regime has carried out more than 300 deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure, a trend that reinforces international concerns about its conduct in the regional conflict.

According to Cooper, this change in the attack pattern coincides with a significant weakening of Iranian military capabilities since the start of operations “Roaring Lion” and “Epic Fury” in late February.

These offensives—led by the United States and its allies, with Israel as a key player on the regional front—have aimed at reducing Tehran's force projection capacity, both on land

and in the maritime sphere.

The impact of these operations is reflected in the decrease in the volume of Iranian attacks. While at the beginning of the conflict there were waves of dozens of drones and missiles aimed at Israel and other countries in the region, launches have now been reduced to isolated incidents, with one or two projectiles at a time. This change suggests a combination of logistical constraints and sustained military pressure

.

At the same time, tension has shifted to the maritime sphere, particularly in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the main arteries of global energy trade.

Cooper stressed that, although the passage remains physically open, commercial navigation has been severely affected due to Iranian attacks on ships, using drones and missiles.

In this regard, he stressed that U.S. and allied forces have succeeded in neutralizing or damaging approximately 140 vessels linked to Iranian naval capacity, in an effort to ensure the safety of maritime routes.

The situation has escalated even more after the warning of US President Donald Trump, who said that Washington could attack Iranian energy infrastructure within 48 hours if free navigation in the strait is not fully restored.

In this scenario, Israel continues to play a central role in containing the Iranian threat, facing both direct attacks and the activity of Teheran-allied militias on multiple fronts.

The combination of military pressure and international coordination appears to be limiting the Iranian regime's offensive capabilities, albeit at the cost of an increase in indiscriminate attacks against civilians, underscoring the volatile and dangerous nature of the conflict.