US strikes Iran as military campaign escalates tensions further

The US government has made clear that military force against Iran remains firmly on the table, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stating that Washington is considering escalated action if diplomatic channels continue to stall. The comments come as Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28, 2026, grinds through its fifth month with no resolution in sight. Five months of escalation Operation Epic Fury kicked off at 1:15 a.m. ET on February 28, 2026, under a directive from President Donald Trump. The initial focus was precise: Iranian missile capabilities, naval assets, and air defenses. Israel has served as a key ally throughout the campaign. Early results were significant. US airstrikes reportedly produced an 86% decrease in Iran’s theatre ballistic missile launches, a number that would represent a near-total degradation of one of Tehran’s most important deterrence tools. Multiple Iranian ships were also sunk in the opening phases. But the operation has grown well beyond those initial strikes. By July 2026, the US was targeting approximately 90 sites in a single round of attacks, hitting drone and missile installations critical to Iran’s coastal defense network. Over a two-day s...