Trump Launches Operation Epic Fury to Topple Iranian Regime
President Donald Trump authorized joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, sparking a regional war and a constitutional crisis over congressional war powers.
On February 28, 2026, Donald Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury, a massive joint military campaign with Israel targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites, and naval assets. The operation's primary objective was the decapitation of the Iranian leadership, resulting in the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and approximately 48 other senior officials. Trump justified the strikes as a preemptive necessity to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to eliminate imminent threats to U.S. forces.
Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. These retaliatory strikes killed at least six U.S. service members and caused significant civilian casualties in Israel and Iran, including a strike on a school in Minab. In response to the instability, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to surge and disrupting 20% of the world's oil and LNG trade.
The conflict triggered a constitutional crisis in Washington. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, led by Senator Tim Kaine and Representative Thomas Massie, pushed for War Powers Resolutions to restrict the president's unilateral authority, arguing the strikes were an illegal war of choice. Conversely, Republican leadership praised the action as a decisive blow against terrorism. Trump has since indicated a willingness to negotiate with a new Iranian leadership while maintaining that pinpoint bombing will continue until all strategic objectives are met.
