Operation Epic Fury: What We Know About the US-Israel Attack That Started the Iran War
Operation Epic Fury: What We Know About the US-Israel Attack That Started the Iran War
At approximately 2:00 AM Tehran time on February 28, 2026, the skies over Iran lit up with the first explosions of Operation Epic Fury — the largest coordinated military operation in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
The United States and Israel struck simultaneously across 14 Iranian provinces, targeting the country's military infrastructure, nuclear program, and — most consequentially — its political leadership.
What Was Targeted
Nuclear Facilities
The primary declared objective was Iran's nuclear program:
- Natanz enrichment facility: Underground centrifuge halls targeted with bunker-buster munitions
- Fordow facility: Built deep inside a mountain, hit with the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator
- Isfahan nuclear technology center: Surface facilities destroyed
- Arak heavy water reactor: Previously modified under the 2015 JCPOA, now struck
Military Infrastructure
- IRGC command and control centers across Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz
- Missile production facilities
- Air defense systems (S-300 batteries, domestic Bavar-373 systems)
- Naval bases along the Persian Gulf coast
- Drone manufacturing facilities
Leadership Targets
The most consequential strike killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — the most powerful figure in Iranian politics since 1989. Multiple senior IRGC commanders were also killed in the initial wave.
The targeting of political leadership crossed a line that previous US-Israeli military planning had avoided — and it set the stage for Iran's retaliatory escalation.
The Scale of the Operation
Operation Epic Fury involved:
- US assets: B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, B-52H Stratofortress bombers, Tomahawk cruise missiles from destroyers and submarines in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, F-35 and F-22 fighter jets
- Israeli assets: F-35I Adir stealth fighters, Jericho ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and intelligence-guided munitions
- Combined sorties: Estimated 1,500+ in the first 72 hours
- Munitions: Including bunker-busting GBU-57s weighing 30,000 pounds each
The operation was clearly planned over months, requiring pre-positioned assets, intelligence coordination, and diplomatic groundwork.
The Immediate Aftermath
Within hours of the first strikes:
Iran declared war: The Supreme National Security Council, in emergency session, authorized full retaliatory measures.
IRGC activated: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missile salvos at Israel, US bases in the Gulf, and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Strait closure: Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of global oil passes daily.
Global markets: Oil futures jumped 30% in overnight trading. Asian stock markets opened sharply lower.
Why Now?
The timing of Operation Epic Fury has been attributed to multiple converging factors:
Iranian nuclear threshold: Intelligence reports suggested Iran was within weeks of producing enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear device.
Trump administration posture: The Trump administration's withdrawal from the JCPOA and maximum pressure campaign had been building toward a military option.
Israeli strategic calculation: Israel viewed Iran's nuclear threshold as an existential threat requiring preemptive action.
Diplomatic cover: PM Modi's visit to Israel on February 25-26 — elevating India-Israel ties to a 'special strategic partnership' — provided diplomatic context suggesting broad international support.
The International Response
India: Did not condemn US-Israeli strikes. PM Modi's 'India stands with Israel' statement at the Knesset became the defining quote of India's position.
China: Condemned the strikes, called for immediate ceasefire, but stopped short of material support for Iran.
Russia: Condemned the operation, called it 'an act of aggression,' but was constrained by its own ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
European NATO: Expressed 'deep concern' but refused Trump's call for military support.
Gulf States (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar): Caught in the crossfire — literally — as Iran retaliated against US bases on their territory. Their responses ranged from restrained criticism to demands for ceasefire.
The Consequences We Are Living With
Operation Epic Fury achieved its stated military objectives. Iran's nuclear facilities are significantly damaged. Its military infrastructure is degraded.
But the operation also:
- Triggered the Strait of Hormuz closure
- Caused oil prices to spike above $100/barrel
- Created a global energy crisis affecting billions
- Destabilized Gulf security for every country in the region
- Left Iran's 85 million citizens in a wartime economy
- Killed over 1,500 Iranians
The military operation may be considered a tactical success. Whether it proves a strategic success depends entirely on what happens next — and right now, nobody knows.
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