Inside 'Operation Epic Fury'
The U.S. offensive against Iran, codenamed "Operation Epic Fury," reportedly began with a direct order from President Trump for a "single synchronized wave" of strikes. The administration's public justifications for the unprecedented campaign have since shifted, moving from targeting missile programs to broader containment goals.
The joint U.S.-Israeli offensive began on February 28, 2026, with a decapitation strike targeting a leadership meeting in Tehran. The attack killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the defense minister, and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In the first 48 hours, U.S. and Israeli forces struck over 1,250 targets across Iran. The assault involves two aircraft carrier strike groups, B-2 stealth bombers flying from the U.S., and the combat debut of new low-cost attack drones. Key targets included IRGC command centers, air defenses, and naval assets, with at least eleven Iranian ships reported destroyed. Iran retaliated within hours, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel and U.S. military bases in at least six other Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar. Iran's foreign ministry has defended the retaliatory attacks as a right to self-defense under international law. The operation follows months of escalating tensions, including a major U.S. military buildup in the region and large-scale anti-government protests within Iran in late 2025 that were met with a violent crackdown. This also comes after a more limited U.S. strike in June 2025, dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer," which targeted Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the U.S. acted preemptively after learning Israel was planning its own imminent strike, which would have triggered Iranian retaliation against American forces. This differs from the rationale offered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who cited the need to destroy Iran's "swelling arsenal of ballistic missiles and killer drones." The military action has drawn international condemnation. United Nations Secretary General António Guterres criticized the "use of force," while Russia and China have called the strikes a "pre-planned and unprovoked act of aggression." European Union leaders have expressed deep concern and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
