U.S. leaders confirmed on Sunday that Operation Epic Fury has already delivered a devastating blow to Iran’s network of terrorists, eliminating senior leaders of the regime’s so-called “Axis of Terror” within the first few days of the mission.

Operation Epic Fury kicked off this past weekend, with the first strikes hitting at 1:15 a.m. Eastern on February 28. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) updates, military forces jumped in immediately, hammering Iranian military targets – and taking out some of the biggest immediate dangers to American troops and our allies.

The President shared an eight-minute video on Truth Social announcing the first strikes, calling them “major combat operations” and part of a “massive and ongoing” mission. He added that the goal was to stop Iran from posing a threat to the national security of the United States, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.

In the opening hours, American attacks came down hard and fast – using everything from stealth bombers and fighter jets to ships launching precision missiles, as well as a wave of new low-cost attack drones.

The objective was clear: dismantle the Iranian regime’s ability to coordinate attacks by striking command centers, knocking out air defense and missile sites, and targeting any naval assets. It was a tightly coordinated show of force.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the current U.S.-Israeli military operations targeting Iran as  “laser-focused” on Monday, highlighting the objective of dismantling Tehran’s missile capabilities, naval forces, and security infrastructure to prevent any nuclear aspirations. He also asserted that this endeavor would not extend indefinitely.

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Graphics released by CENTCOM detailed a strong display of American air and naval power. “Assets deployed” within the first 24 hours reportedly include: B-2 stealth bombers, LUCAS drones, multiple F-15 and F-16 Fighter Jets, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and more.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) quickly celebrated the success of the operation in a social media post, posting: “It’s official: All senior terrorist leaders of Iran’s Axis of Terror have been eliminated.” The post included an infographic naming the 15 high-value targets now confirmed dead, per the IDF.

  • Ali Khamenei — Supreme Leader of Iran and the ultimate architect of the regime’s global terror campaign
  • Hassan Nasrallah — Hezbollah’s longtime chief, potentially responsible for thousands of rocket attacks on Israel
  • Yahya Sinwar — Hamas leader in Gaza, alleged mastermind of the October 7, 2023, massacre
  • Mohammed Deif — Hamas’s top military commander
  • Mohammed Sinwar — Senior Hamas operative
  • Hossein Salami — Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
  • Mohammad Hossein Bagheri — Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces
  • Gholam Ali Rashid — Senior IRGC commander
  • Amir Ali Hajizadeh — Head of IRGC Aerospace Forces
  • Abdol-Rahim Mousavi — Key Iranian military figure
  • Hossein Mahdavi — Senior regime operative
  • Ali Karaki — Hezbollah commander
  • Ibrahim Aqil — Hezbollah military leader
  • Fuad Shukr — Senior Hezbollah commander
  • Mohammed Al-Ghamari — Houthi chief of staff

By the end of the first 24 hours of Operation Epic Fury, the Iranian regime’s ability to coordinate terror operations has seemingly been gutted.

The Dallas Express will continue to provide updates on Operation Epic Fury as the mission continues.

For more in-depth prior coverage on Operation Epic Fury and related developments, check out these key reports from The Dallas Express: