The US has deployed its most advanced military assets in an operation against Iran, marking the largest regional concentration of its firepower in years. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said the mission, launched on Saturday, involves B-2 stealth bombers, F-18 and F-16 fighter jets, and fifth-generation aircraft, including the F-22 and F-35.Interceptor and anti-ballistic missile systems have also been positioned, alongside surveillance platforms such as the P-8 aircraft and MQ-9 drones.US forces are operating from two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers — the USS Gerald R Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln. CENTCOM said the operation began on Saturday and aimed to “dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritising locations that posed an imminent threat”.Targets include Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command-and-control facilities, Iranian air defence systems, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields. CENTCOM said US forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.In the opening hours, precision munitions were launched from air, land and sea. A CENTCOM task force, named ‘Scorpion Strike’, also deployed low-cost, one-way attack drones in combat for the first time. “These low-cost drones, modelled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution,” CENTCOM said.The US also struck an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette, which it claimed was sinking in the Gulf of Oman at a Chabahar pier.Washington confirmed that four US service members were killed in action and five seriously wounded during Operation Epic Fury. It also rejected Iran’s claim that ballistic missiles struck USS Abraham Lincoln. “The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close,” CENTCOM said.The US has long been Israel’s primary military benefactor, providing over $158 billion in inflation-adjusted assistance since World War II. This support underpins Israel’s so-called “Qualitative Military Edge” (QME) over regional adversaries.A 2016 US memorandum guarantees $3.8 billion annually in military aid to Israel through 2028. The US supplies advanced weaponry, including F-35 fighter jets and significant funding for the Iron Dome missile defence system, and, since 2008, US law mandates preserving Israel’s military superiority in the region.