US-Israel Campaign Against Iran Shifts Focus to Long-Term Disablement of Military Production

The joint US and Israeli military campaign against Iran is reportedly transitioning into a second phase, moving beyond initial "shock-and-awe" tactics to target Iran's defense-industrial infrastructure. This strategic shift aims to dismantle Tehran's capacity to produce ballistic missiles and drones, rather than solely suppressing immediate retaliatory capabilities. The first phase, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" and launched on February 28, concentrated on debilitating Iran's command-and-control nodes, air defenses, and launch infrastructure through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic effects.

This new phase signifies a change in the definition of "success" for the allied forces. While the initial week focused on blinding and disorienting Iranian forces and reducing their ability to strike back, the current objective is to prevent Iran from regenerating its most dangerous military assets over an extended period. Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command, stated on March 5 that forces are now systematically dismantling Iran’s future missile production capability. This indicates a sustained effort to undermine Iran's ability to rebuild its military strength for months and years to come.