Tipsheet

President Trump Had the Perfect Name for the Operation Against the Iranian Regime

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  February 28, 2026 11:00 AM

Earlier this morning, the United States, in a joint operation with Israel, launched a wave of strikes against Iran, targeting leaders of what American officials have long described as the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism. 

President Trump announced the start of Operation Epic Fury shortly before midnight Friday, declaring that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon and warning that Tehran should never have challenged the might of the United States. He called on members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the armed forces, and national police to lay down their weapons and surrender, while urging the Iranian people to rise up and take control of their own destiny.

The president began by outlining why the operation was in America’s national interest. He argued that Iran has long posed a direct threat to the United States, citing the regime’s “Death to America” chants, attacks on U.S. troops, the 1979 seizure of the American embassy in Tehran, the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole. He also condemned Tehran for training and arming terrorist groups across the region, and blamed the regime for the October 7 attack carried out by its proxy, Hamas.

"For these reasons, the United States military has undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests," the president said. "We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy. We are going to ensure that the region's terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called, to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans. And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon."

"This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces," the president added.

However, the president cautioned that American troops could lose their lives during the operation. His warning comes despite the fact that earlier strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as well as a separate operation in Venezuela, resulted in no reported U.S. casualties. As of Saturday, there have been no confirmed American deaths tied to the current campaign.

My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel in the region. Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties that often happens in war, but we're doing this not for now. We're doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission. We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran.

President Trump then turned his attention to Iranian government forces.

To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the Armed Forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity or, in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity or you will face certain death.

Finally, Trump addressed the people of Iran, who had endured weeks of brutal repression by regime forces as they protested against the government’s tyranny. The president declared that their moment had come and urged them to seize control of their own destiny.

Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America's help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So, let's see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.

Operation Epic Fury is expected to last several days, with strikes reportedly targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior members of Iran’s leadership. Conflicting reports have since emerged, with some sources claiming Khamenei may have been killed after his compound was struck, though no official confirmation has been provided.