Codenamed "Operation Epic Fury" by the Pentagon and "Roaring Lion" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the campaign represents the most significant military intervention in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The strikes, which began at approximately 10:00 AM Tehran time, targeted the very scaffolding of the clerical regime, most notably the Beit-e Rahbari—the official residence and nerve center of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
1. The Breach of the "Inner Sanctum"
The most striking development of the morning was the direct kinetic hit on the Pasteur Street district in central Tehran. Reports confirm that at least seven precision-guided missiles struck the fortified compound housing the Supreme Leader’s office and residence.
Status of Khamenei: Intelligence sources, corroborated by Reuters, indicate that the 86-year-old Supreme Leader was not present at the time of the strike, having been moved to a "hardened, high-security location" days prior as tensions peaked.
Symbolic Decapitation: Beyond physical damage, the strike on the Beit-e Rahbari—alongside reported hits on the Presidential Palace and the Supreme National Security Council—signals a shift from tactical containment to a strategy of "symbolic decapitation."
Civilian Reaction: Unverified footage from the capital shows plumes of black smoke rising over the skyline, with some residents reportedly reacting with a mix of terror and, in some districts, open celebration following months of brutal domestic crackdowns.
2. Military Scope: A Dual-Carrier Offensive
The operation is being described by the White House as "major combat operations" rather than a limited strike. The U.S. has leveraged its largest regional naval presence in twenty years to facilitate the assault.
Force Disposition
| Asset | Current Position | Role |
| USS Gerald R. Ford | Eastern Mediterranean (off Israel) | Launch platform for F/A-18E/F & E/A-18G; Missile defense. |
| USS Abraham Lincoln | Arabian Sea (near Oman) | Controlling the southern corridor; Intercepting IRGC naval assets. |
| F-22 Raptor Wing | Ovda Airbase, Israel | Air superiority and suppression of Iranian S-300/S-400 systems. |
| Tanker Fleet | Ben Gurion Airport | 14 aerial refuelers extending the reach of Israeli F-35s into Iran. |
Strike locations have been reported across the country, including Tabriz, Qom, Isfahan, Karaj, and the Bushehr port, targeting missile production lines and drone assembly plants.
3. The Catalyst: Nuclear Collapse and Domestic Bloodshed
The diplomatic fuse for "Epic Fury" was lit following the total collapse of the third round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva on February 27.
The Nuclear "Red Line": Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran had moved toward "zero-breakout" status, rebuilding enrichment capabilities destroyed during the brief June 2025 conflict.
The "January Massacre": President Trump, in a video address from Mar-a-Lago, cited the regime's "vicious" killing of over 32,000 protesters since January 2026 as a moral imperative for intervention. "The hour of your freedom is at hand," Trump told the Iranian people, explicitly calling for the IRGC to surrender or face "certain death."
4. The IRGC Response: "Wave of Fire"
Tehran has not remained silent. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the commencement of a "major counter-offensive" within two hours of the initial strikes.
Targets in Israel: Heavy ballistic missile barrages have been reported over Jerusalem and Northern Israel. Sirens are currently active nationwide, and the IDF has declared a state of "National Emergency."
Regional Bases: Iranian-aligned media has warned that U.S. assets in Bahrain and the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar are considered "legitimate targets" for the second wave of retaliation.
Energy Corridors: Brent crude jumped to $73/barrel instantly, with markets pricing in a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Editor’s Summary: The End of Diplomacy
This morning's events mark the definitive end of the "Strategic Patience" era. By targeting the Supreme Leader’s residence, Washington and Jerusalem have signaled that they are no longer interested in a return to the 2015 JCPOA framework. Instead, the goal is the systemic dismantling of the Islamic Republic's military apparatus and, potentially, the regime itself.
The coming 48 hours will determine if this remains a surgical campaign to force a collapse or the beginning of a prolonged regional conflagration.
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