In a series of high-profile statements amid the ongoing US-Israel joint military campaign against Iran, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has reiterated the objective to completely destroy Iran’s naval capabilities. This comes as part of Operation Epic Fury, described by Hegseth as “the most lethal, most complex, and most precise aerial operation in history.”
The operation, launched under direct orders from President Donald Trump starting late February 2026, targets Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, missile production facilities, and navy to eliminate threats to US forces and prevent nuclear weapon development.
As of early March 2026, the operation continues with reports of hundreds of targets struck and Iranian casualties in the thousands. Hegseth and Trump administration officials frame this as a necessary response to decades of Iranian aggression against US interests.
The strikes represent a major escalation in US-Iran relations, with potential impacts on regional stability, oil prices, and global security.