Operation Epic Fury Explained: What It Is, What's Being Targeted, and What Comes Next

Overview: What Is Operation Epic Fury?

Operation Epic Fury is the Pentagon's designated codename for the United States military component of the coordinated US-Israeli strike campaign against Iran that began in the early morning hours of February 28, 2026. The operation was confirmed by Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder in a press briefing at approximately 4:15 a.m. Eastern Time, roughly ninety minutes after the first wave of strikes hit Iranian territory. (NBC News)

The name "Epic Fury" distinguishes the American portion of what is a broader joint campaign with Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces simultaneously launched their own operation under the dual designations "Operation Shield of Judah" and "The Roar of the Lion" (in Hebrew, She'agat Ha'Aryeh). While the two operations are closely coordinated and share common objectives, each nation maintains its own chain of command, target lists, and rules of engagement. (Reuters)

According to Pentagon officials, Operation Epic Fury is designed to achieve what military planners describe as "irreversible degradation" of Iran's nuclear weapons program, its ballistic missile production infrastructure, and the command-and-control architecture of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The operation involves multi-wave sorties launched from at least three aircraft carrier strike groups positioned in the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and the eastern Mediterranean, as well as long-range bomber missions originating from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. (AP)

The sheer scale of Epic Fury sets it apart from any US military engagement in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Defense analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) have estimated that the first 24 hours of the operation will involve more than 2,000 individual munitions deliveries across Iranian territory, a figure that dwarfs the approximately 350 strike sorties conducted during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025. (CSIS)

Codename Origins and Joint Designations

US military operations receive their codenames through a structured process managed by the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Codenames are drawn from the Code Word, Nickname, and Exercise Term System (NICKA), a classified database that assigns two-word combinations to operations, exercises, and programs. The first word is typically assigned randomly from a block allocated to the specific combatant command, while the second word is chosen to be memorable without revealing operational details. In the case of Epic Fury, the designation was assigned by US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees all military operations in the Middle East. (Pentagon briefing)

The Israeli designations carry more deliberate symbolic weight. "Operation Shield of Judah" (Hebrew: Magen Yehuda) references the biblical Tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel and the lineage of King David. The lion is the traditional symbol of the tribe, which connects to the secondary designation "The Roar of the Lion" (She'agat Ha'Aryeh). Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz explicitly invoked this symbolism in his announcement, stating that Israel was acting "to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime" in a manner consistent with the nation's historical mandate of self-preservation. (Reuters)

The dual naming convention is not unusual in coalition operations. During the 2011 intervention in Libya, for instance, the US contribution was designated Operation Odyssey Dawn while NATO's broader campaign was called Operation Unified Protector. The arrangement allows each nation to maintain sovereign control over its forces while operating under a shared strategic framework. In this case, coordination between the US and Israeli operations is managed through a Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where American, Israeli, and allied liaison officers deconflict airspace, assign targets, and sequence strike packages. (AP)

Pentagon officials have emphasized that the name was generated procedurally and should not be interpreted as a statement of intent regarding the duration or intensity of operations. However, several retired military officers appearing on cable news networks noted that the word "Fury" carries an unmistakable connotation of sustained, overwhelming force, a signal they interpreted as deliberate. (NBC News)

Operational Scope and Targets

The target set for Operation Epic Fury spans four primary categories, according to a background briefing provided by a senior defense official to Pentagon reporters. These categories are: nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile and cruise missile production, IRGC command-and-control nodes, and integrated air defense systems (IADS). Strikes have been confirmed across at least twelve Iranian cities, representing the widest geographic footprint of any US military operation in the region. (Pentagon briefing)

The nuclear target set includes the most sensitive and hardened facilities in Iran's enrichment program. The deeply buried Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, located inside a mountain near the holy city of Qom, was struck with GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs), the 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs carried exclusively by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. Fordow is believed to house cascades of advanced IR-6 and IR-8 centrifuges that had been enriching uranium to 60% purity, a level considered a short technical step from weapons-grade material (90%). The Natanz enrichment complex in Isfahan province, Iran's largest declared enrichment facility, was struck with a combination of MOPs and precision-guided munitions. Additional nuclear targets included the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility, the Arak heavy water reactor, and centrifuge component workshops in Karaj. (CSIS)

Ballistic missile targets encompassed known production facilities for Iran's Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile, the newer Khorramshahr (also known as the Kheibar Shekan) medium-range ballistic missile, and the Fattah hypersonic glide vehicle. Satellite imagery analyzed by commercial firms prior to the strikes had identified at least seven missile production and assembly facilities dispersed across Tehran, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Semnan provinces. Iran's extensive network of underground missile storage tunnels, often referred to as "missile cities" by IRGC commanders, were also targeted, though the extent of damage to these deeply buried facilities remains unclear. (Reuters)

Target Category	Key Sites	Location
Nuclear Enrichment	Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan UCF	Qom, Isfahan
Ballistic Missiles	Shahab-3 production, Fattah assembly	Tehran, Kermanshah, Semnan
IRGC C2	IRGC HQ, Quds Force HQ, intel centers	Tehran, Shiraz
Air Defense	S-300 batteries, radar sites	Nationwide

Weapons and Platforms Used

Operation Epic Fury has deployed the most advanced weapons systems in the US military arsenal, reflecting the hardened and deeply buried nature of many Iranian targets. The centerpiece of the strike package is the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the only aircraft capable of delivering the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). Each MOP weighs approximately 30,000 pounds and is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet of reinforced concrete or 60 feet of moderately hard rock before detonating its 5,300-pound explosive warhead. The B-2 can carry two MOPs simultaneously. Pentagon officials confirmed that multiple B-2 sorties were flown from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, with refueling stops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, a round-trip mission of approximately 36 hours. (NBC News)

The carrier-based component of Epic Fury relies heavily on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-35C Lightning II. The F-35C, the Navy's variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter, is being used in its first major combat deployment for suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and precision strike missions. Each carrier strike group in the operation zone deploys approximately 44 strike aircraft, and with three carrier groups participating, the US has roughly 130 carrier-based strike platforms available. These aircraft are delivering Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOWs), and AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs). (AP)

Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) have been fired from guided-missile destroyers and cruisers positioned in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The Block V Tomahawk, the newest variant, features a 1,000-mile range and the ability to receive in-flight targeting updates via data link. Defense officials stated that "several hundred" Tomahawks were launched in the opening salvo, targeting air defense radar sites, communications nodes, and above-ground missile storage facilities. The missiles were launched from at least four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and two Ticonderoga-class cruisers. (Reuters)

Land-based assets participating in Epic Fury include F-15E Strike Eagles operating from Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE and F-16 Fighting Falcons from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. B-1B Lancer bombers, capable of carrying up to 24 JDAMs or JASSMs per sortie, have reportedly been staged at Diego Garcia. Electronic warfare support is provided by EA-18G Growler aircraft, which suppress Iranian radar and communications systems using the AN/ALQ-99 and newer Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) pods. (CSIS)

Comparison to Previous Operations

Operation Epic Fury is the second major US military strike on Iran in nine months. Operation Midnight Hammer, conducted in June 2025, was the first direct American military attack on Iranian soil. Comparing the two operations reveals a dramatic escalation in scope, intensity, and strategic ambition. (Pentagon briefing)

Midnight Hammer was a more limited operation that focused primarily on Iran's declared nuclear enrichment sites and a narrow set of IRGC targets. It involved approximately 350 strike sorties over a 48-hour period, using primarily cruise missiles and standoff weapons launched from outside Iranian airspace. The operation successfully damaged tunnel entrances at the Fordow facility, struck above-ground structures at Natanz, and hit the Bushehr nuclear power plant, but it did not achieve the kind of deep underground penetration that military planners considered necessary to permanently degrade Iran's enrichment capabilities. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi confirmed after Midnight Hammer that while surface-level infrastructure had been "impacted," the deeply buried centrifuge halls at Fordow appeared to have survived largely intact. (CSIS)

Epic Fury, by contrast, represents a qualitative leap. The deployment of B-2 bombers carrying MOPs indicates that the US is now attempting to destroy underground facilities that Midnight Hammer could not reach. The target list has expanded from approximately 30 aim points during Midnight Hammer to what defense officials describe as "more than 300" discrete targets. The inclusion of IRGC command facilities, intelligence headquarters, and Iran's integrated air defense network suggests a shift from a limited counter-proliferation strike to a comprehensive campaign designed to degrade Iran's overall military capacity. (NBC News)

Parameter	Operation Midnight Hammer (June 2025)	Operation Epic Fury (February 2026)
Duration (planned)	48 hours	Multiple days (ongoing)
Strike sorties	~350	2,000+ (first 24 hrs)
Target count	~30 aim points	300+ aim points
Bunker busters (MOPs)	Not deployed	Confirmed (B-2 delivery)
Carrier strike groups	1	3
Israeli coordination	Limited	Fully integrated joint operation

The escalation from Midnight Hammer to Epic Fury was driven by several factors. First, Iran's rapid reconstitution of damaged nuclear infrastructure after the June strikes demonstrated that a limited operation was insufficient to achieve lasting degradation. Second, Iran's acceleration of enrichment to 60% purity at multiple sites created what US officials described as an "unacceptable" timeline to potential breakout. Third, the political context shifted dramatically: the widespread protests across Iran and the regime's violent crackdown created both a strategic opening and domestic political pressure in Washington to act decisively. (Reuters)

Iranian Response and Countermeasures

Iran's military response to Operation Epic Fury began within hours of the first strikes. The IRGC launched retaliatory missile salvos at US military installations across the Persian Gulf, targeting bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, and Iraq. The initial salvo included Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missiles, Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missiles, and what Iranian state media claimed were Fattah-2 hypersonic missiles. The full extent of Iranian retaliation and the damage inflicted is covered in detail in our separate report: Iran Strikes Back: Where Iran Retaliated, What Was Hit, and Damage Reports. (AP)

On the defensive side, Iran activated its integrated air defense system (IADS), which is built around the S-300PMU-2 long-range surface-to-air missile system acquired from Russia in 2016, supplemented by domestically produced systems such as the Bavar-373 (which Iran describes as equivalent to the Russian S-400) and the Khordad-15 medium-range system. Iranian state television broadcast footage showing anti-aircraft fire over Tehran and other cities, and the IRGC claimed to have "intercepted multiple incoming cruise missiles" over Isfahan and Shiraz. These claims have not been independently verified, and US officials stated that Iranian air defenses were "significantly degraded" within the first two hours of the operation due to SEAD missions conducted by F-35s and EA-18G Growlers. (Reuters)

Iran also implemented a near-total internet shutdown within the first hour of strikes, reducing connectivity across the country to approximately 4% of normal levels according to monitoring by NetBlocks, a global internet observatory. This mirrors the playbook used during the November 2019 protests and the 2022 Mahsa Amini uprising, and is designed to prevent real-time coordination among civilians and the spread of unverified footage. Mobile networks were cut entirely in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Tabriz. Only government and military networks remained functional. (NBC News)

The IRGC has also activated its network of regional proxy forces. Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi forces in Yemen, and Iranian-backed Shia militias in Iraq and Syria have all been placed on heightened alert. Intelligence officials warned that proxy attacks on US and Israeli interests across the region could intensify in the coming days, opening multiple secondary fronts. (CSIS)

Congressional and Legal Questions

Operation Epic Fury has reignited fierce debate in Congress over the constitutional limits of presidential war-making authority. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president may commit US armed forces to military action for up to 60 days without congressional authorization, provided he notifies Congress within 48 hours. The White House submitted a formal notification to congressional leadership at approximately 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 28, shortly before the first strikes hit Iranian territory. The notification cited Article II of the Constitution, which grants the president authority as Commander-in-Chief, and invoked the inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. (AP)

The legal justification rests on two primary claims. First, the administration argues that Iran's nuclear program constituted an "imminent threat" to the United States and its allies, meeting the threshold for preemptive self-defense. Second, the White House pointed to Iranian-backed attacks on US military personnel in Iraq and Syria over the preceding months as evidence of an ongoing armed conflict that falls within the president's existing authority to defend US forces. Critics have challenged both arguments. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a longtime advocate for constraining executive war powers, issued a statement within hours calling the strikes "a massive escalation undertaken without the consent of the American people's representatives" and announced he would introduce a War Powers Resolution requiring the president to withdraw forces from hostilities within 30 days unless Congress votes to authorize continued operations. (NBC News)

Congressional reaction split largely along partisan lines, though not entirely. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called for an emergency classified briefing and declined to endorse or condemn the operation pending further information. Several Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), expressed strong support, with Graham declaring the strikes "long overdue." However, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) broke with his party, calling the operation "an unconstitutional act of war" and pledging to join Kaine's resolution. On the House side, Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement supporting the president's authority to "defend the nation against nuclear threats," while members of the Progressive Caucus announced plans to force a floor vote on a Privileged Resolution under the War Powers Act. (Pentagon briefing)

International law scholars have raised additional questions about whether the strikes meet the legal standard of "necessity and proportionality" required for lawful self-defense under international law. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has historically applied a strict interpretation of imminence, requiring evidence that an armed attack is about to occur or is already underway. The US claim of preemptive self-defense against a nuclear program, while politically compelling, lacks clear precedent in international jurisprudence and is likely to face challenge at the UN Security Council. (CSIS)

What Comes Next

The immediate trajectory of Operation Epic Fury depends on several interrelated variables. Pentagon officials have stated that the operation is planned as a "multi-phase campaign" rather than a single strike event. The first phase, focused on air defense suppression and high-priority nuclear and missile targets, is expected to last approximately 72 to 96 hours. A second phase, if ordered, would expand the target set to include additional military infrastructure, transportation networks, and potentially dual-use industrial facilities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in a briefing that the US "retains the flexibility to scale operations based on Iranian behavior," a formulation that leaves open the possibility of either de-escalation or further escalation. (Reuters)

The most critical near-term variable is the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has long threatened to close this vital chokepoint, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil supply transits daily, in the event of a military conflict. The IRGC Navy has deployed fast attack craft, mine-laying vessels, and anti-ship cruise missiles along the strait. US naval forces have moved additional mine countermeasure vessels into the area, and the carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf has positioned its escorts to provide a protective corridor for commercial shipping. Any attempt by Iran to mine or blockade the strait would represent a dramatic escalation with global economic consequences, as Brent crude is already trading above $95 per barrel. (AP)

Diplomatic channels have not been entirely severed. The Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which serves as the protecting power for US interests in Iran (since the US has not had an embassy there since 1980), remains operational. Backchannel communications through Oman, which has historically served as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, are believed to be active. However, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a statement through state media calling the strikes "an act of war that will not go unanswered" and vowing that Iran would "make the aggressors regret their decision." The statement did not specify the form or timeline of further Iranian retaliation, leaving open the possibility of unconventional responses including cyberattacks on US critical infrastructure, proxy attacks across the region, or an acceleration of nuclear activities at surviving facilities. (NBC News)

The UN Security Council has convened an emergency session at the request of Russia and China, both of which condemned the strikes. Russia's UN Ambassador described the operation as "unprovoked aggression" and called for an immediate ceasefire. China's representative urged "maximum restraint from all parties." Neither is expected to authorize any enforcement action, but the diplomatic isolation of the US and Israel at the Security Council could complicate efforts to build international support for a post-conflict settlement. The coming 48 hours will be decisive in determining whether Epic Fury remains a contained military operation or becomes the opening chapter of a wider regional war. (CSIS)

Related Coverage

• US Strikes Iran: Full Timeline, Targets, and Global Impact
• US Military Begins Major Combat Operations in Iran, Trump Says
• Iran Strikes Back: Where Iran Retaliated, What Was Hit, and Damage Reports
• Iran Conflict: Next 30 Days Scenarios
• War Powers Resolution: Iran Strikes and Congress

Sources

Last updated: February 28, 2026. This article is revised when new evidence materially changes what can be stated with confidence.