Washington / Tehran — The United States has launched what officials describe as an “overwhelming and unrelenting blow” against Iran’s military machine, unleashing waves of airstrikes, cruise missiles and cyberattacks in the most intense U.S. offensive in the region in decades.

Pentagon briefings speak of a multi‑day campaign targeting Iran’s air defenses, ballistic‑missile sites, Revolutionary Guard bases and command bunkers. Satellite images show burning fuel depots, cratered runways and shattered radar installations from the Gulf coast to the outskirts of Tehran. U.S. bombers, carrier‑based fighters and long‑range drones are striking in tightly timed cycles designed to keep Iranian commanders off balance and prevent them from regrouping.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on background, said the operation would continue “until Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. forces, partners and shipping lanes is degraded beyond quick repair,” adding that “this is not a pinprick; this is sustained punishment.”

In Tehran, air‑raid sirens and anti‑aircraft fire have become a nightly soundtrack. State television vows that Iran will absorb the blows and hit back “far beyond what Washington imagines,” but early indications suggest key elements of the country’s missile and drone network have been badly disrupted.

Allies are split: some hail the show of force as long overdue, while others fear the United States has crossed a point of no return. With each new strike package that roars off U.S. runways and carrier decks, the phrase “overwhelming and unrelenting” sounds less like rhetoric — and more like a strategy that could reshape the Middle East for years.