US Enters Next Phase of Iran Conflict

The United States has announced the next phase of its confrontation with Iran, following days-long operations to disarm the country of its nuclear potential after months of failed negotiations.

U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth, alongside CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper, announced on March 5 the initiation of the next phase in Operation Epic Fury, as U.S. forces continue to disrupt Iran’s fighting power.

“Our will is ironclad,” Hegseth said.

Cooper described how U.S. bombers had struck 200 targets deep inside Iranian territory within 72 hours alone, and B-2 bombers had dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs targeting buried ballistic missile launchers within the hour of the two speaking.

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber remains at the forefront of the U.S. military’s air combat technology.

Describing how U.S. combat power is building as Iranian combat power declines, Cooper noted that ballistic missile attacks from Iran had decreased by 90 percent since the start of the conflict, and drone attacks had decreased by 83 percent.

Cooper highlighted some of the targets struck by U.S. forces, including Iran’s equivalent of Space Command and more than 30 Iranian naval ships.

“We’re not just hitting what they have, we’re destroying their ability to rebuild. And so, as we transition to the next phase of this operation, we will systemically dismantle Iran’s missile production capability for the future, and that’s absolutely in progress,” Cooper said.

The U.S.–Israeli joint operation began its strikes on Feb. 28 following months of failed nuclear negotiations, resulting in the death of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and a number of other top-ranking Iranian generals. 

Iran launched a number of retaliatory attacks against targets within the surrounding Middle Eastern countries, bringing them into the conflict.

Protests had been occurring in Iran in December 2025 and January that were spurred on by the country’s economic crash, resulting in the death of at least 7,000 civilians, according to the U.S.-based Iranian human rights organization HRANA.

In a Truth Social post on Feb. 28, Trump described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in History.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially rejected a proposal from the United States to use British military bases in the region for bombing runs, but later relented, suggesting caution and declining to join in on offensive strikes, preferring to focus on de-escalation and talks.

“This Government do not believe in regime change from the skies,” Starmer said on March 2.

On March 5, Hegseth responded to reporters’ questions about the UK’s involvement.

“It’s unfortunate that the Brits didn’t from day one say, hey go ahead and have access, but we got there, and that’s now part of the way that we’re operationalizing bomber runs … the amount of firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically,” Hegseth said.

President Donald Trump on Sept. 5, 2025, announced that the Department of War, then known as the Department of Defense, would revert back to its original name to ensure “peace through strength.”