Details Emerge on 'Operation Epic Fury'
The massive U.S. military campaign against Iran has been codenamed “Operation Epic Fury.” The attack reportedly began with a single synchronized wave of U.S. strike aircraft targeting critical Iranian military infrastructure, in what analysts call an unprecedented demonstration of American air power.
The initial wave of "Operation Epic Fury" struck over 1,250 targets within the first 48 hours, employing a diverse array of military assets. The coordinated assault utilized everything from B-2 stealth bombers on 37-hour round trips from the continental U.S. to the combat debut of the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drone, which is modeled after Iran's own Shahed-136 technology. This massive air campaign is the largest concentration of American firepower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Key targets in the opening days included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, air defense systems, and ballistic missile sites. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also reported destroying eleven Iranian naval ships in the Gulf of Oman and striking a Jamaran-class corvette near the port of Chah Bahar. The stated objectives are the destruction of Iran's navy, air defenses, and its ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities. The operation involved a significant build-up of forces in the 30 days prior, with thousands of service members, hundreds of fourth and fifth-generation fighter jets, and two aircraft carrier strike groups—the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford—being moved into the region. A wide range of aircraft are participating, including F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, and F-35 fighter jets, A-10 attack jets, and B-1 and B-2 bombers. This is a joint operation with Israeli forces, who have codenamed their parallel campaign "Operation Roaring Lion." The planning for the coordinated strikes took place over several months. One of the primary and most significant outcomes of the initial strikes was the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a precision strike on his residence in Tehran. In response to the assault, Iran launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks against U.S. facilities and allies in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Israel. U.S. officials have confirmed American casualties and the loss of three F-15E jets in a friendly-fire incident with Kuwaiti air defenses. The stated timeline for the operation remains open-ended, with President Trump suggesting it could last a month or "far longer." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not ruled out the possibility of sending in ground troops, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, has stated, "This work is just beginning and will continue," warning that the "hardest hits are yet to come."
