Trending Now - Us-israel Operation Against Iran Sparks Political Division

WHO:

President Donald Trump

Muhanad Seloom, assistant professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.

Jonathan Lemire, journalist for The Atlantic

Megan Messerly, journalist for Politico

Al Jazeera, Qatari government-funded news organization

WHAT:

Operation Epic Fury is a military operation involving the United States and Israel against Iran.

Iranian ballistic missile launches have decreased by more than 90 percent, from 350 to roughly 25.

Iranian drone launches have decreased from 800 on Day 1 to 75 by Day 15 of the operation.

80 percent of Iran’s capacity to strike Israel has been eliminated.

Hundreds of Iranian missile launchers have been rendered inoperable.

The naval assets of Iran, including fast-attack craft and submarines, are being degraded.

The command structure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been significantly impacted.

A source from the Trump White House stated that U.S. forces "kicked (Iran's) a—— in the field."

WHERE:

Tehran, Iran

Strait of Hormuz

WHEN:

Operation Epic Fury began on February 1st, 2026.

The op-ed praising the operation was published on March 16th, 2026.

The article from Politico was published on March 17th, 2026.

WHY:

The operation aims to degrade Iran's ability to project power beyond its borders through missiles, nuclear latency, and proxy networks.

Critics argue that Iran's regime is a stronger adversary than Trump realizes, posing risks to oil flow and potential terrorist attacks.

HOW:

The U.S. and Israel are conducting airstrikes and military operations against Iranian military capabilities.

The operation involves the use of Tomahawk missiles against Iran.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 13:30 UTC)

Operation Epic Fury, a military initiative involving the United States and Israel against Iran, began on February 1, 2026, and has reportedly led to a significant reduction in Iranian missile and drone launches. As of today, Iranian ballistic missile launches have decreased by over 90 percent, and 80 percent of Iran's capacity to strike Israel has been eliminated, along with hundreds of missile launchers rendered inoperable. The operation aims to degrade Iran's ability to project power beyond its borders, while critics caution that the Iranian regime remains a formidable adversary, potentially threatening oil flow and security.