In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump announced the launch of “Operation Epic Fury,” a large-scale military offensive targeting Iran, following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an Israeli strike.
In a video address, President Trump described the operation as “one of the largest, most complex, most overwhelming military offensives the world has ever seen.” He stated that US forces and partners had struck hundreds of targets across Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities, air defense systems, and naval assets. “We have hit hundreds of targets in Iran… Just now was announced that we knocked out nine ships plus their naval building all in a matter of literally minutes,” Trump said.
Trump confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, referring to him as the “formerly Supreme Leader” and calling him a “wretched and vile man” responsible for the deaths of hundreds or thousands of Americans and countless innocents worldwide. “Iran’s formerly Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead,” Trump declared, noting that the entire military command had also been eliminated, with many Iranian forces reportedly seeking to surrender in exchange for immunity.
The US military separately announced that three American service members had been killed in action, with five others seriously wounded—the first US casualties in the ongoing conflict. Trump mourned the fallen as “true American patriots” who made the ultimate sacrifice and vowed that America would “avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against basically civilization.” He acknowledged that more casualties were likely but emphasized efforts to minimize them.
Trump outlined the broader rationale for the operation, warning that an Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would pose a dire threat to Americans and the world. He stressed that the US possesses “the strongest military the world has ever seen,” rebuilt during his first term, and is now using it “for good” to protect future generations. “An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a dire threat to every American. We cannot allow a nation that raises terrorist armies to possess such weapons,” he said.
Addressing the Iranian people, Trump urged members of the Revolutionary Guard, military, and police to lay down their arms and receive full immunity, or face “certain death.” He called on “Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom” to seize the moment and take back their country, promising American support: “America is with you. I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise.”
The conflict intensified on its second day, with Iran launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation, targeting Israel and US assets in the region. Iran claimed to have struck the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, though the US denied any hit, stating the missiles did not come close. Israeli forces continued strikes deep into Iran, aiming to achieve aerial superiority by targeting air defenses, missile launchers, command centers, and sites in Tehran, including the capital’s nerve center near the airport and key regime offices.
The strikes that killed Khamenei reportedly occurred during a meeting in Tehran attended by top military leaders, with the Israeli Air Force acting on intelligence to destroy the compound. Multiple high-ranking Iranian officials were also killed, including the Defense Minister, Armed Forces Chief, Revolutionary Guards Chief, and Secretary of Iran’s Defense Council, along with family members of Khamenei.
As combat operations continue in full force, the US and its partners, including Israel, remain committed to achieving their objectives. President Trump emphasized that the mission is not only for current security but for long-term peace, preventing a “radical, bloodthirsty terrorist regime” from acquiring nuclear weapons after nearly 50 years of hostility toward the US and Israel, marked by chants of “death to America” and sponsorship of terrorism.