Trump's Nine-Word Command Authorised Military Strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump authorised 'Operation Epic Fury' with a concise nine-word directive, officials have confirmed. The order led to coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel over the weekend, resulting in significant casualties including the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
General Caine Reveals Timeline and Presidential Order
General Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, detailed the sequence of events during a Monday morning press conference alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He stated that at 3:38 p.m. on Friday, February 27, the United States Central Command received the final authorisation from President Trump.
The president's exact words were: 'Operation Epic Fury is approved. No aborts. Good luck.' This brief statement set in motion a large-scale military operation involving more than 100 aircraft launched from various platforms, which commenced around 9:45 a.m. local time on Saturday.
Trump's Evasive Comments and Operational Details
At the time of giving the order, Trump was aboard Air Force One en route to Corpus Christi, Texas. Upon landing, when questioned by a reporter about his decision on striking Iran, he cryptically replied, 'I'd rather not tell you. You would have had the greatest scoop in history, right?' Later that Friday, at a public event, he further obscured his intentions by telling the crowd, 'We have a big decision to make.'
The assault is projected to last four to five weeks, according to Trump's comments to The New York Times on Sunday. He expressed confidence, noting, 'It won't be difficult. We have tremendous amounts of ammunition stored all over the world in different countries.'
Retaliation and Casualties Mount
In response to the strikes, Iran has launched retaliatory attacks in the region. U.S. officials have confirmed that four American service members have been killed, with many more injured. General Caine extended condolences, stating, 'Our deepest and heartfelt condolences are with their families, their friends and their units. We grieve with you and we will never forget you.'
He also cautioned that the operation is not a 'single overnight operation' and that officials 'expect to take additional losses.'
Defense Secretary Addresses Concerns Over Endless War
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed concerns that the conflict could escalate into an endless war, asserting, 'To the media outlets and political left screaming 'endless wars,' stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless.' He emphasised that the strikes are 'not a so-called regime change war,' but acknowledged, 'the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it.'
When questioned about Trump's timeline, Hegseth defended the president's remarks, stating, 'I heard the question about four weeks. It's the typical NBC gotcha-type question. President Trump has all the latitude in the world to talk about how long it may or may not take.'
