Trump’s Operation Epic Fury Stuns Iran

President Trump’s Operation Epic Fury has obliterated Iran’s naval power in a matter of days, ending decades of threats to American vessels and global commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.

Story Highlights

U.S. and Israeli forces destroyed 9-11 Iranian warships including the drone carrier Shahid Bagheri and forward base ship IRIS Makran under Operation Epic Fury
CENTCOM confirms Iran’s Gulf of Oman fleet reduced from 11 operational ships to zero within 72 hours
Strikes targeted Bandar Abbas naval base and nuclear facilities following Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death
Iran closed Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, cutting maritime traffic by 85% and threatening global oil supplies

Swift Annihilation of Iranian Naval Threat

Operation Epic Fury commenced at 1:15 a.m. local time on February 28, 2026, with B-2 bombers and carrier-based aircraft from the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford striking IRGC naval facilities across Iran’s southern coast. Within 72 hours, CENTCOM released thermal imagery videos confirming the destruction of Iran’s entire Gulf of Oman fleet. President Trump announced on March 2 that ten Iranian ships had been “knocked out,” promising the rest would soon be at the bottom of the sea. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine characterized the mission as a relentless campaign to annihilate Iran’s navy and eliminate nuclear threats.

Flagship Losses Cripple Iranian Power Projection

The strikes destroyed Iran’s most recently modernized naval assets, including the Shahid Bagheri, a 40,000-ton converted container ship commissioned just one year earlier in February 2025. This drone carrier featured a ski-jump runway designed to launch unmanned aerial vehicles for harassment operations throughout the Persian Gulf. The IRIS Makran, a forward base ship enabling extended Iranian naval operations, was set ablaze at Bandar Abbas along with a Jamaran-class corvette at Chah Bahar. These vessels represented the backbone of Iran’s strategy to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20-30% of global oil flows, using asymmetric warfare tactics developed since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War.

Strategic Victory Restores Maritime Freedom

The operation dismantles Iran’s capacity to menace international shipping after years of tanker seizures, drone attacks, and proxy warfare through Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthi forces. Bandar Abbas, Iran’s primary naval hub on the Strait of Hormuz, suffered catastrophic damage with satellite imagery showing fires consuming the base and Konarak wharf infrastructure. This decisive action echoes the 1988 Operation Praying Mantis when the U.S. Navy destroyed Iranian vessels following mine attacks, but on a far larger scale. Military analysts at Naval News describe the loss of the Shahid Bagheri as a major setback to Iran’s regional power projection capabilities, effectively ending decades of naval harassment operations.

Iran’s Desperate Retaliation and Regime Instability

Iranian forces responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on commercial vessels, reducing maritime traffic by 85% and threatening global energy markets. The IRGC claimed hits on U.S. carriers, which CENTCOM dismissed as lies while confirming both carriers remain fully operational. American casualties totaled three killed and five wounded as strikes continued targeting nuclear sites and missile facilities. The operation coincided with the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, creating potential for regime collapse. President Trump emphasized the strikes aimed to liberate the Iranian people from tyrannical rule while protecting American interests and ensuring freedom of navigation in critical waterways that underpin global commerce.

This overwhelming demonstration of American military superiority under President Trump’s leadership sends an unmistakable message to adversaries worldwide: threats to U.S. forces, allies, and international trade will be met with devastating consequences. The rapid destruction of Iran’s modernized fleet proves that decades of investment in asymmetric naval capabilities cannot withstand American technological and strategic dominance when properly deployed without the restraints of previous administrations.