The huge strikes carried out by the US and Israel on Saturday — dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” by American forces — have been within the works over the previous a number of “months main as much as the assault,” in accordance with Israel officers.
Within the first IDF assertion following the assault on Iran, an Israel Protection Forces spokesperson mentioned that “the strike included an assault on dozens of army targets.”
The assertion additionally highlighted what seems to be the IDF’s shut cooperation with the U.S. throughout months of planning. The U.S. has not but talked about something concerning the planning of the operation or how lengthy it has been within the works for.
“Within the months main as much as the assault, shut joint planning was carried out between the IDF and the U.S. Military, which enabled the broad assault to be carried out with most synchronization and coordination between the armies,” the IDF mentioned.
An Iranian girl walks previous an anti-U.S. billboard in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 26, 2026.
Majid Asgaripour/West Asia Information Company by way of Reuters
“The Iranian regime has not deserted its plan to destroy Israel,” the assertion continued. “The IDF has acknowledged that the regime has continued its makes an attempt to fortify, shield, and conceal its nuclear applications, together with restoring the missile manufacturing course of.
“The regime has continued to finance, practice, and arm its proxies based mostly inside the borders of the State of Israel,” the IDF mentioned. “These are actions that represent an existential menace to the State of Israel, and threaten the Center East and the whole world.”
In an announcement posted on X Saturday, Israeli overseas minister Gideon Saar mentioned, “Inaction would have been way more harmful than the choice to behave, regardless of the numerous dangers concerned.”
“The time to behave is now,” he added. “Delay would have allowed the Iranian regime to succeed in a stage of immunity for its nuclear program, in addition to to interact within the mass manufacturing of long-range ballistic missiles.”
The strikes concerned a mixture of U.S. plane and Tomahawk cruise missiles fired by U.S. Navy ships within the area, in accordance with a U.S. official.
There are at the moment an estimated 35,000 U.S. army personnel stationed within the Center East in the mean time.
The U.S. already has massive army bases within the area, with Al Udeid in Qatar being the most important with round 10,000 personnel. Shut by in Bahrain, there are about 3,200 personnel and dependents stationed on the Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters.
Folks watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 28, 2026.
AP
There are additionally an estimated 1,000 U.S. troops in Syria, at the same time as they put together to attract down and go away the nation, in addition to one other 2,500 troops in Iraq now principally positioned in Erbil to the north.
The U.S. additionally has dozens extra fighter jets within the Center East than there have been in mid-January.
An plane service — the usGerald R. Ford — together with as much as 4 destroyers could quickly be part of the 12 Navy ships already within the area, that features the usAbraham Lincoln.
In response, Iran instantly accused the U.S. of violating “all worldwide legal guidelines and through negotiations.”
“Now’s the time to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s army aggression,” an announcement launched from the Iranian Ministry of International Affairs mentioned on Saturday. “Simply as we had been prepared for negotiations, we now have been extra ready than ever for protection. The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will reply to the aggressors with authority.”
ABC Information’ Luis Martinez and Jack Moore contributed to this report.
