Trump Launches Major Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Talks
President Donald J. Trump has launched a major military operation against Iran, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury,' marking the largest U.S. military engagement in the Middle East in two decades. The White House described the campaign as a 'bold and necessary exercise of American strength' intended to 'crush the Iranian regime' and eliminate its nuclear threat. According to administration officials, the strikes targeted Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal. President Trump stated the operation was initiated to 'avenge' the deaths of U.S. service members and projected it could last four to five weeks, though he acknowledged it might continue 'far longer.' However, the administration's messaging regarding its ultimate objectives has been inconsistent. While initial statements focused on degrading Iran's nuclear and military capabilities, officials have offered a wide range of views on whether the U.S. supports regime change in Tehran, leaving the strategic endgame unclear. This ambiguity is compounded by claims from Iran's foreign minister, who expressed confusion over the timing of the attack, suggesting that a deal to avert military conflict was nearly reached during nuclear talks involving Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, just prior to the strikes. The justification for the strikes has also faced scrutiny. Fact-checkers have pointed to contradictions in the administration's narrative, noting that Trump's language about an imminent nuclear threat conflicts with a recent White House document that claimed previous strikes had already 'significantly degraded Iran's nuclear program.' Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson characterized the U.S. action as a 'defensive operation,' arguing that President Trump acted to prevent Israel from launching its own strike against Iran 'with or without American support,' framing it as a difficult decision made to control the escalation of conflict in the region.
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NBC News asked him Sunday in a brief phone interview. “They weren’t willing to stop their nuclear research,” Trump said. “They weren’t willing to say they will not have a nuclear weapon. Very simple.” · Trump built his political career on a promise to avoid foreign wars that his ...
Peace Through Strength: President Trump Launches Operation Epic Fury to Crush Iranian Regime, End Nuclear Threat – The White House
In a bold and necessary exercise of American strength, President Donald J. Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury — a precise, overwhelming military campaign to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, destroy its ballistic missile arsenal, degrade its proxy terror ...
His language contradicts a November 2025 White House document that said the strikes "significantly degraded Iran's nuclear program." Top Trump administration officials were talking up Iran's capabilities in the leadup to the strikes. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff said Feb. 21 on Fox News Iran is ...
Trump says Iran war to last four to five weeks but could go ‘far longer’ | Donald Trump | The Guardian
President says he ordered attacks to thwart Tehran nuclear aims – and abruptly pivots to talk up White House ballroom ... Donald Trump has laid out four goals in Iran and said the US campaign had been projected to last four to five weeks but could “go far longer than that”.
Trump and senior administration officials have offered a wide range of views about what they hope to achieve in the largest American military operation in the Middle East in two decades - and whether or not the US supports regime change in Tehran. The administration initially said its goal was to destroy Iran's nuclear ...
On Thursday, a team of Iranian ... Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, in Geneva with the aim of averting a potential military assault, “and a deal was at our reach,” Araghchi said. “We were able to address serious questions related to Iran’s nuclear progra...
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson described the U.S. attack as a "defensive operation" because he said Israel was determined to act on their own against Iran, "with or without American support." Johnson said Trump had a "very difficult decision" to make, and determined that Iran would immediately ...
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