Operation Epic Fury: U.S. and Israel Launch Major Assault on Iran as Region Braces for Fallout

Early Saturday morning, the United States and Israel announced the start of a sweeping military campaign against Iran. The operation followed weeks of escalating warnings from President Donald Trump, who had demanded Tehran agree to a stricter nuclear deal and condemned its earlier crackdown on domestic protesters.

In a video shared on Truth Social, Trump declared that the United States was conducting a “massive and ongoing operation” to stop what he described as a radical dictatorship threatening American security. The Pentagon later confirmed the campaign had been officially named “Operation Epic Fury.”

Trump urged Iranian military forces to surrender and called on civilians to rise up against their government following the joint strikes. In remarks to The Washington Post, he framed the mission as an effort to secure both freedom and long-term safety for the Iranian population.

Israel’s military soon reported that Iran responded with several waves of missile launches aimed at Israeli territory. At the same time, at least two significant U.S. military installations in the broader Middle East region were reportedly targeted by Iranian missile fire, raising fears of rapid escalation.

In the days leading up to the assault, Washington had repositioned more than a dozen naval vessels and aircraft closer to the region. This military buildup occurred alongside indirect diplomatic contacts over Iran’s nuclear program, even as pressure tactics intensified behind the scenes.

The latest offensive follows earlier action ordered by Trump in June 2025, when U.S. forces struck critical Iranian nuclear facilities. Those earlier airstrikes were described by American officials as necessary to curb Tehran’s enrichment activities and strategic capabilities.

Meanwhile, regional tensions spread to the Gulf state of Bahrain, where authorities began evacuating residents from the Juffair district. The area houses the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which was reportedly targeted in a missile attack attributed to Iran.

According to reports from CBS News, witnesses observed at least three missiles directed toward the naval facility, though immediate confirmation of damage was unavailable. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, linked to the Revolutionary Guards, claimed responsibility for the strike on the base.

Elsewhere, Lebanon sought to distance itself from the widening conflict. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged restraint and national unity, warning against being drawn into a broader war. His comments came amid concerns that Hezbollah, long backed by Iran and previously engaged in clashes with Israel, could become involved once again.

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