President Donald Trump used a Medal of Honour ceremony at the White House to brief the American public on the joint United States‑Israel military effort against Iran, which he described as Operation Epic Fury. He said the campaign was expected to last four to five weeks and was already substantially ahead of schedule.
Four strategic objectives
Trump outlined four primary goals for the operation: the destruction of Iran’s missile capabilities, the elimination of its navy, the prevention of the regime from arming and financing terrorist groups, and the denial of any nuclear weapon to Iran. He stressed that progress was being made hourly, with missile destruction identified as the top priority.
The president linked the launch of the operation to the collapse of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran. He said an acceptable deal would have required Iran to abandon both nuclear weapons and missiles, a condition Tehran rejected. Consequently, he argued that the Iranian regime could not be negotiated with and that the United States must act to protect its interests.
Trump claimed that the strikes had already killed several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and had destroyed government and military infrastructure across the country. He described the Iranian government as sick and sinister and said the United States had seized its final, best chance to strike.
The situation in Iran was portrayed as volatile, with the United States and its allies continuing to launch strikes. Trump reassured the audience that the United States remained committed to protecting its interests and preventing the spread of terrorism, while acknowledging that the campaign would likely continue for some time.
International reaction was characterised as a mixture of concern and calls for a peaceful resolution, with various countries watching the conflict closely. The United States and its allies were described as having to navigate a complex web of diplomatic and military relationships, with Israel highlighted as a long‑standing ally and key partner in the effort. Concerns were raised about the possibility of escalation and broader regional impact stemming from Israel’s involvement.