Rubio: Epic Fury is over; Tehran’s nuclear shield has been destroyed

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declares Operation Epic Fury over, claiming victory as the US shifts focus to reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

By World Israel News Staff

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the air campaign against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, has ended, as the Trump administration shifts its focus to Project Freedom, a naval effort to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Rubio said the operation had achieved its central goal of eliminating Iran’s ability to protect its nuclear program.

Iran’s ability “to build a shield behind which they could hide their nuclear program was wiped out,” Rubio said. “That is a very substantial achievement and that was the purpose of this operation from day one.”

“The operation is over,” he added. “Epic Fury, the president notified Congress, we’re done with that stage of it. We are now onto this project of freedom.”

Rubio said any negotiations with Iran would have to address not only uranium enrichment, but also nuclear material that Iran may still be able to access.

“As far as a negotiation is concerned, I think the president has been clear that part of the negotiation process has to be, not just enrichment, but what happens to this material that is very deep somewhere that they still have access to if they ever wanted to dig it out,” Rubio said. “That has to be addressed and that is being addressed in the negotiation.”

Rubio also defended Project Freedom, which President Donald Trump announced earlier this week as an operation to escort foreign vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz.

He said the goal is “to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries that are trapped and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by the Iranian regime.”

Rubio called Iran’s blockade of the strait “not just criminal,” but “desperate and destructive,” describing it as “piracy.”

“Nations from around the world, the overwhelming majority of whom are not even engaged in any military hostilities, are now at risk not just of losing their cargo, but the lives of their own citizens, because of this blockade,” he said.

Rubio said the ships could eventually run out of food and drinking water for their crews.

“These are innocent bystanders,” he said. “These are countries and ships that have nothing to do with any of this and nonetheless are being caught in the middle of it and being held hostage, merely because Iran can do it.”

Rubio said 10 civilian sailors have already died as a result of Iran’s blockade and attacks, and that multiple countries have asked Washington to help free their ships.

Rubio’s comments came shortly before President Trump announced that he had ordered the temporary suspension of Project Freedom in response to a request by Pakistan and with the goal of encouraging Iran to reach a comprehensive deal with the United States.