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Operation Epic Fury Moves Into Its Most Intense Phase
Operation Epic Fury began on February 28 after President Donald Trump authorized a sweeping military campaign targeting Iran’s strategic weapons network.
Within the first several days, U.S. forces launched a massive wave of precision strikes across the country. Military aircraft including B-2 stealth bombers, B-1B Lancers, and F-35 fighters reportedly conducted coordinated attacks alongside Tomahawk cruise missiles and newly deployed one way combat drones.
The targets were extensive. Nearly two thousand military sites tied to Iran’s missile program, drone operations, and naval capabilities were reportedly struck.
According to officials familiar with the operation, the early results have been devastating for the regime’s military infrastructure.
American forces have also crippled large portions of Iran’s naval fleet. More than thirty Iranian vessels were destroyed or sunk during the opening stages of the campaign, including a warship named after Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth even remarked on the symbolic nature of the strike.
“POTUS got him twice.”
Iran’s Military Response Is Rapidly Declining
U.S. commanders say Iran’s ability to retaliate has been dramatically reduced since the campaign began.
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine revealed that Iranian missile activity has collapsed under the pressure of the strikes. According to the Pentagon’s latest data, ballistic missile launches from Iran have dropped sharply.
Ballistic missile attacks are down roughly 86 percent from the opening day of the war. Drone assaults have fallen by 73 percent.
Meanwhile, American forces have established strong control over Iranian airspace in the southern portion of the country.
U.S. Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper explained that the mission goes far beyond destroying current Iranian weapons stockpiles.
“We’re not just hitting what they have,” Cooper said. “We’re destroying their ability to rebuild.”
That strategy appears aimed at ensuring Iran cannot simply restart its weapons program once the immediate conflict ends.
Iran Turns to Economic Warfare
Unable to match the United States militarily, Iranian leaders have shifted to economic pressure.
Tehran recently declared the Strait of Hormuz a military zone and began threatening shipping vessels passing through the vital waterway. The narrow corridor handles roughly one fifth of the world’s daily oil supply, making it one of the most strategically important shipping lanes on the planet.
The move rattled global energy markets. Insurance companies quickly suspended coverage for ships operating in the region, sending oil prices sharply higher.
Bessent said the tactic was an obvious attempt by Iran to spark global economic instability.
“Having not been able to succeed there militarily, they’re trying to create economic chaos,” he told Kudlow. “And I don’t think they’re going to be able to do it.”
To counter the pressure, the U.S. government is moving quickly to stabilize the global oil market.
The International Development Finance Corporation has announced up to $20 billion in insurance coverage to protect American vessels moving through the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, Treasury officials are reportedly considering allowing more Russian oil to enter global markets in order to flood supply and reduce the price leverage Iran hopes to gain.
“We’re going to keep a cadence of announcing measures to bring relief to the market during this conflict,” Bessent said.
Pentagon Rejects Claims the U.S. Is Running Out of Defenses
In recent days, several media outlets have suggested the United States could face shortages of missile interceptors if the conflict drags on.
Defense officials quickly dismissed those claims.
When questioned during a Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directly rejected the idea that Iran could outlast the United States.
“Iran cannot outlast us,” Hegseth said. “The only limits we have on this is President Trump’s desire to achieve specific effects on behalf of the American people.”
With American air power dominating the battlefield and Iran’s missile infrastructure being systematically dismantled, the conflict is entering a decisive phase.
Bessent summed up the current status of the operation with a short but powerful statement.
He said the mission is “proceeding as planned.”
