Donald Trump’s top general has revealed a gripping minute-by-minute account of the President’s ‘Operation Epic Fury’ to kill Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and cripple its military and nuclear infrastructure.
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to reporters alongside Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Monday, two days after Trump launched a war with Iran.
Caine said that B-2 bombers had flown 37-hour trips from the continental US, dropping bombs on underground nuclear facilities in Iran, as an unprecedented 100-aircraft ‘wave’ was unleashed by land and sea.
He revealed the dramatic moment Trump decided unilaterally to launch a war with the Islamic regime.
‘At 3.38pm, on Friday, February 27, the United States Central Command, through the Secretary of War, received the final go order from President Trump. The President directed and I quote, “Operation Epic Fury is approved. No aborts. Good luck.”‘
Two hours after he gave the order to Caine, Trump was on stage in Texas where he claimed he was still undecided, saying on Iran: ‘We have a very big decision to make…I’d rather do it the peaceful way. But they’re very difficult people.’
By 2:30 AM EST, the president released a video from Mar-a-Lago announcing the country was at war with Iran.
Caine explained that the initial attack targeted Iran’s leadership, ballistic missile sites, and intelligence infrastructure that left ‘the adversary without the ability to see, coordinate or respond effectively.’
‘At 9.45am Tehran time as dawn crept across the Central Command area of operations, skies surged to life,’ he told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday.
‘More than hundred aircraft launched from land, sea, fighters, tankers, bombers … forming a single synchronized wave,’ Caine said.
‘This was daylight strike based on a trigger event conducted by Israeli defense forces enabled by U.S. intelligence community.’
Caine said that B-2 bombers had flown 37-hour trips from the continental US, dropping bombs on underground nuclear facilities in Iran (file photo)
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine arrive for a press conference on US military action in Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 2
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows Navy sailors moving ordnance on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday
A member of the Israeli security and rescue forces works at the scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage in Tel Aviv, Israel, early on March 1
A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday
By 5:00 EST, Trump announced the Ayatollah had died in Tehran after an Israeli strike.
Caine said that the daylight strike was based on ‘a trigger event conducted by Israeli defense forces enabled by US Tomahawks,’ referring to the strike on the Ayatollah.
He said that America fired off ‘a massive overwhelming attack across all domains of warfare, striking a thousand targets in the first 24 hours.’
Caine added that cyber and space commands had been deployed to ‘confuse the enemy.’
He went on to claim that the military objective in Iran, which now does not include regime change, ‘will be difficult to achieve, and in some cases, will be difficult and gritty work.’
The general added that US forces are expected to take additional casualties. So far, four US troops have died as a result of Trump’s war and there have been 18 reported injured.
Hegseth and Caine stated that the ultimate goal in the war with Iran is to destroy their military and nuclear weapons development.
Caine said Trump’s mission was ‘to protect and defend ourselves, and together with our regional partners, prevent Iran from the ability to project power outside of its borders.’
The operation was allegedly the result of ‘months, and in some cases, years, of deliberate planning and refinement.’
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a An E-2D Hawkeye preparing to land on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a F/A-18E Super Hornet preparing to make an arrested landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Sunday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a F/A-18F Super Hornet launching from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Sunday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk preparing land on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a F/A-18E Super Hornet landing on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Sunday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a Navy sailor standing watch on the bridge of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury on Sunday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a F/A-18E Super Hornet preparing to take off from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a An E-2D Hawkeye preparing to make an arrested landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday
The rising death toll comes after Trump told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview over the phone on Sunday that fighting with Iran could go on for the next four weeks
Iran has responded to the US war with drone and missile attacks on countries across the Middle East
Operation Epic Fury resulted in the death of Iran’s top leadership
Iran retaliated to the US and Israeli strikes with a barrage of missiles at neighboring nations – some of which broke through air defense systems (seen in Dubai)
Trump has not provided an exit strategy or timeframe for ending the war with Iran
This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a Navy sailor observing flight operations aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)) in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday
Neither Caine nor Hegseth provided an exact timeline or exit strategy for the US in Iran. Troops are not currently deployed on the ground in Iran.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail on Sunday, Trump said the war with Iran could last up to four weeks.
‘It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,’ Trump said.
Hegseth claimed that America ‘didn’t start this war’ as he revealed Iran’s plans to build a ‘missile shield’ to protect its nuclear ambitions.
‘We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it,’ Hegseth told a press conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Monday.
He warned that ‘war is hell and it always will be’ as a fourth US soldier was confirmed dead following Iranian strikes on a base in Kuwait.
