US & Israel Launch Major Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched large-scale joint military strikes against Iran, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” targeting military and suspected nuclear facilities. President Trump confirmed the “major combat operations” and called for Iranians to “take over their government.” The move, which has caused explosions in Tehran, has sent oil prices surging and global stocks tumbling.
The recent strikes follow months of escalating tensions, including a violent crackdown on widespread anti-government protests in Iran that began in late December 2025. The protests, initially sparked by economic grievances, were met with a severe response from Iranian authorities, resulting in thousands of deaths and a nationwide internet shutdown. President Trump had warned of "strong action" in response to the crackdown. This military action comes just days after a high-stakes round of indirect nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Geneva, Switzerland, ended without an agreement. While Iranian officials described the talks as "intense" and hinted at progress, President Trump publicly expressed his dissatisfaction, stating Tehran was "not willing to give us what we have to have." A confidential report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicating Iran had stored highly enriched uranium at an underground site may have contributed to the breakdown of diplomacy. Today's operation is significantly broader than the U.S. strikes in June 2025, dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer." That mission, which was part of a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, primarily targeted three key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles. That operation was estimated to have set back Iran's nuclear program by about two years. "Operation Epic Fury" has expanded the target list beyond nuclear and military infrastructure to include symbols of the regime itself. Reports indicate strikes have hit the office complex of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran, as well as military and missile bases in cities including Tabriz, Bushehr, and Qom. Israeli officials have described the multi-day operation as a preemptive effort to dismantle imminent threats. In response to the joint strikes, Iran has launched retaliatory missile attacks against Israel and U.S. military installations across the Gulf. Targets have included Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet service center in Bahrain. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned the U.S. and Israeli attacks as a "gross violation of Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty." The economic fallout has been immediate, with the Dow Jones dropping 521 points and the Nasdaq falling 0.92% just before the markets closed. Brent crude oil prices surged to over $72 a barrel, and gold prices jumped, reflecting a classic flight to safety by investors amid the escalating conflict. Several major oil companies have reportedly suspended shipments through the critical Strait of Hormuz. This conflict follows the complete collapse of the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, from which President Trump withdrew the U.S. in 2018. Subsequent efforts to negotiate a new, more stringent deal have been marked by a cycle of sanctions, regional attacks, and covert operations, culminating in the direct military confrontations of the past year.
