US: Iran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz

Cooper spoke at a hearing titled "Conflict with Iran and military readiness in Africa," organized by the Senate Armed Services Committee alongside US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander General Dagvin Anderson.

In his opening remarks at the hearing, Cooper stated that more than 1,450 strikes have been carried out by the US and Israel against Iran's weapons production facilities, arguing that these attacks have damaged and destroyed more than 85 percent of Iran's ballistic missile, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and naval industrial base.

Cooper told senators that it would take "a generation" for Iran to rebuild its navy and that it would take years for its drone and missile production to recover.

Asserting that Iran's military capabilities have been significantly weakened as a result of US and Israeli airstrikes, Cooper noted, however, that Tehran continues to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz.

"IRAN'S CAPABILITY HAS DIMINISHED"

"Iran's ability to stop trade through the straits has diminished significantly, but they are very loud, and these threats are clearly heard by the trade and insurance sectors," Cooper said.

Arguing that US forces have destroyed more than 90 percent of Iran's inventory of 8,000 naval mines, preventing their deployment in the strait, Cooper stated that Iran still possesses some capabilities that could threaten ships.

In response to a question, Cooper said that the US has the option to militarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but that this is a decision for policymakers to make.

When asked how much longer the conflict with Iran might last, Cooper noted that despite the blockade imposed by the US Navy on Iranian ports and the mutual exchanges of fire that occurred last week, the ceasefire reached on April 7 remains in effect.

Cooper did not provide any timeline regarding when US troops might begin to withdraw from the region.

When asked by Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin whether China and Russia were providing intelligence to Iran, Cooper did not respond, stating that this matter should be discussed in a classified setting.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia also said at the hearing that the Senate Armed Services Committee has not seen the opinion prepared by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, which justifies President Donald Trump's authority to launch attacks against Iran.

"We are being asked to fund a 1.5 trillion dollar budget, but as members of the Armed Services Committee, they have denied our request to see the relevant opinion from the Justice Department justifying this war. If they won't let us see the legal justification for the war, what are they hiding?" Kaine said.

US Department of Defense (Pentagon) officials reportedly informed members of the US Congress this week that the cost of the US/Israel-Iran war has risen from 25 billion dollars last month to 29 billion dollars, according to US media reports.

News Source: 12punto