Rubio Vows 'Hardest Hits Are Yet to Come' for Iran
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has publicly promised further punitive action against Iran, declaring, “the hardest hits are yet to come.” His comments reflect growing bipartisan pressure for continued military operations, even as he faces scrutiny for justifying the war with what critics call circular claims about an “imminent threat.”
As Secretary of State, Rubio has justified the preemptive military action by claiming the U.S. had intelligence of an impending Israeli strike on Iran. He argued that Iran would have automatically retaliated against American forces, and that striking first was necessary to prevent higher U.S. casualties. This circular reasoning has drawn sharp criticism, with Iran's Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, stating it proves there was never a direct Iranian threat to the U.S. Some international law experts concur, arguing the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks violate the UN Charter as there was no evidence of an imminent attack by Iran against either country. The initial wave of U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, successfully targeted and killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other senior military and defense officials. The stated goals of the operation include the destruction of Iran's ballistic missile and naval capabilities. In response, Iran has launched widespread missile and drone counterattacks against Israel and U.S. military bases throughout the Persian Gulf region, including in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The U.S. military has confirmed its death toll in the conflict has risen to six. The operation was launched without prior congressional approval, prompting accusations that President Trump has unconstitutionally usurped war powers. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is now pushing for a vote on a war powers resolution to limit the president's authority to continue hostilities. The conflict follows the failure of diplomatic talks in February 2026 aimed at curtailing Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. In the weeks leading up to the strikes, the U.S. had been building up its military presence in the region, deploying two aircraft carrier strike groups.
