U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday afternoon that Operation Epic Fury has ended [1, 2].
The shift marks a transition from offensive military action to a defensive posture, signaling a precarious attempt to maintain a ceasefire between Iran and the United Arab Emirates while securing nuclear objectives.
Speaking from the White House briefing room podium in Washington, D.C., Rubio said the United States had achieved its goals regarding Iran’s nuclear program [1, 4]. He said the conclusion of the offensive operation was a necessary step to preserve the current fragile ceasefire [2, 3].
Despite the end of the specific operation, the U.S. maintains a presence in the region through a mission known as "Project Freedom." Rubio said this mission is now a defensive operation [1, 3].
"This is not an offensive operation. There's no shooting unless we're shot at first," Rubio said [3].
The announcement comes as tensions persist in the Strait of Hormuz, where recent flare-ups have tested the stability of the regional peace [2, 3]. Rubio said Tehran should not test U.S. resolve, suggesting that the military posture could change if the ceasefire fails.
While the offensive phase has concluded, Rubio said the broader conflict remains unresolved. "Major military operations against Iran are over, but the conflict could be restarted if needed," Rubio said [5].
"Operation Epic Fury is over," Rubio said [2].
“"Operation Epic Fury is over."”
The transition of Project Freedom to a defensive role suggests the U.S. is attempting to avoid a full-scale regional war while keeping enough military pressure to prevent Iran from resuming nuclear advancements. By tying the cessation of Operation Epic Fury to a fragile UAE-Iran ceasefire, the administration is utilizing a strategy of conditional deterrence—signaling that the return to offensive operations is a primary consequence of a ceasefire breach.
