On February 28, the U.S. and Israel hit Iranian military targets with coordinated air and missile strikes. Trump called the whole thing “massive and ongoing,” saying the goal is to wipe out Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. He’s named the campaign Operation Epic Fury.
Trump’s language has been blunt. He’s pushed Iranians to rise up against their own government once the strikes shake things up, making it clear that regime change is part of what he wants. He warned Iran’s leaders to “lay down your arms or face certain death,” but also offered immunity to anyone who surrenders—basically trying to split the regime from within.
This is a sharp break from Trump’s old “no new wars” talk. He’s willing to use force now, without waiting for Congress or the UN to sign off.
Diplomacy Still on the Table (Earlier This Week)
Before launching the strikes, the administration kept saying that diplomacy came first with Iran. White House officials told the press that negotiations—especially about Iran’s nuclear program—were still happening, even as the military was gearing up for action.
So, they were running two tracks at once: talk if possible, but get ready to use force if talks go nowhere.
U.S. Strategy on Ukraine and Russia
Even though the Iran situation is front and center, Trump has kept up efforts on Ukraine. He and his top diplomats have been talking with both Ukrainian and European leaders, trying to reach some kind of ceasefire or peace deal.
The U.S. keeps pressing both Kiev and Moscow to compromise, using sanctions and security promises as leverage.
It’s all connected in the bigger picture of U.S. foreign policy, but the playbook for Iran and Ukraine is pretty different."
