U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper tells U.S. lawmakers that Iran’s military threat in the region has been significantly diminished but not eliminated. Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Cooper says U.S. forces have degraded Iran’s warfighting capacity, including by destroying more than 90% of Iran’s inventory of about 8,000 naval mines. He characterizes this as a major reduction in Iran’s ability to threaten shipping and maritime operations through mine warfare and related tactics. At the same time, Cooper cautions that threats persist. While the mine stockpile has been largely eliminated, he indicates that remaining risks and broader security concerns continue to require U.S. readiness and attention. Across the outlets, the central points are that U.S. operations have substantially reduced Iran’s mine capability and that the overall threat picture is weaker than before, but not resolved.