US & Israel Launch Major Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran under the codename 'Epic Fury,' with explosions reported in Tehran. President Trump confirmed 'major combat operations' and openly called for regime change. The move, which Israel termed a 'preemptive strike' against an 'extremely serious' threat, has already caused oil prices to surge.
The joint military campaign was named 'Operation Epic Fury' by the Pentagon and 'Operation Roaring Lion' by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The stated U.S. objective is to eliminate imminent threats and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, with President Trump also telling the Iranian people, "the hour of your freedom is at hand." The operation, which was planned for months, targets Iran's missile production industry, naval forces, and command and control centers. In an immediate and widespread retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missile and drone attacks on multiple U.S. military bases across the Middle East. Explosions were reported at or near U.S. facilities in Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. Iran also fired approximately 40 missiles at Israel, triggering air defense systems. The strikes have reportedly targeted high-value leadership locations, including the office complex of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Israeli officials claimed top Iranian regime and military leaders were targets, though Khamenei was reportedly not in Tehran at the time of the strike. This major escalation follows a significant, but more limited, series of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. Those attacks were intended to set back Iran's nuclear program, which the IDF claimed was "approaching the point of no return." Despite this, indirect nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran had been ongoing until they were indefinitely suspended by Tehran following the June strikes. International reaction has been swift and divided. Russia condemned the attacks, with a top official stating, "All negotiations with Iran are a cover operation. No one doubted it." European Union leaders called the developments "greatly concerning" and urged "maximum restraint," while withdrawing non-essential personnel from the region. Iran's foreign ministry labeled the assault a "gross violation of Iran's territorial integrity and national sovereignty" and vowed to "respond decisively." Meanwhile, the exiled son of Iran's last shah, Reza Pahlavi, called on Iranians to prepare to return to the streets, describing the Islamic Republic as nearing collapse.
