President Donald J. Trump on Sunday evening delivered a blunt and sweeping update on “Operation Epic Fury,” confirming that the joint U.S.-Israeli offensive has decapitated Iran’s leadership and is still expanding.
“Over the past 36 hours, the United States and its partners have launched Operation epic fury, one of the largest, most complex, most overwhelming military offensives the world has ever seen. Nobody has seen anything like it. We have hit hundreds of targets in Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities, Iranian air defense systems. Just now was announced that we knocked out nine ships plus their naval building, all in a matter of literally minutes.”
Those remarks align with what has unfolded since early Saturday. Israeli and U.S. forces eliminated 40 senior Iranian commanders in the opening strike, dismantled much of Iran’s western and central air defenses, and dropped roughly 1,200 bombs as they pushed toward air superiority over Tehran. The scope is not symbolic. It is structural.
In his message, Trump also removed any remaining ambiguity about the fate of Iran’s supreme leader.
“Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, is dead. This wretched and vile man had the blood of hundreds and even 1000s of Americans on his hands and was responsible for the slaughter of countless 1000s of innocent people all across many countries.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly been shown proof of Khamenei’s death, and U.S. officials signaled over the weekend they believed the reports were accurate. Trump’s confirmation makes that reporting official U.S. policy. This is regime decapitation in real time.
In his address, he went further, suggesting Iran’s chain of command has effectively imploded.
“The entire military command is gone as well, and many of them want to surrender to save their lives. They want immunity. They’re calling by the 1000s.”
At the same time, Iran has retaliated aggressively. Ballistic missiles have struck Israeli civilian areas, killing nine in Beit Shemesh, while Iranian attacks have targeted Gulf states and even threatened British military positions in Cyprus and Bahrain. Airports across the Middle East have suspended flights as the conflict spreads beyond Israel’s borders.
Trump acknowledged the cost to American forces.
“Earlier today, CENTCOM shared the news that three US military service members have been killed in action. As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.”
CENTCOM confirmed three Americans killed and five seriously wounded during Operation Epic Fury. Trump made clear the losses may not be the last.
“And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case, but America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization.”
He framed the offensive as preemptive and necessary.
“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.”
The administration is clearly signaling that this is not a limited punitive strike. It is an effort to permanently dismantle a regime infrastructure that, for decades, funded proxy wars, expanded its missile arsenal, and openly threatened both the United States and Israel.
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