Washington, DC, 04 March (H.S.): US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning of an impending third wave of military operations against Iran, declaring that the nation's key defenses stand crippled following two devastating rounds of US-Israeli strikes.
Speaking ahead of an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump asserted that Iran's navy, air force, radar systems, and air detection capabilities have been effectively neutralized, paving the way for further action targeting the regime's leadership and nuclear infrastructure.
This escalation follows the reported assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the initial phase of Operation Epic Fury, which has plunged the Middle East into retaliatory chaos.
Operation Epic Fury Unfolds Amid Failed Diplomacy
The conflict erupted after protracted nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran collapsed in late February 2026, with the Trump administration demanding the complete dismantling of enrichment facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, alongside an end to Tehran's support for proxy militias.
Iran rejected these terms, insisting on its right to domestic uranium enrichment and refusing to export stockpiles, leading Trump to authorize preemptive strikes on February 26 to avert an anticipated Iranian assault.
Subsequent attacks eliminated 49 high-ranking officials in the first wave and struck a leadership conclave in the second, including Khamenei's son Mojtaba, who had been elected as interim Supreme Leader per unverified reports.
Iranian Retaliation and Regional Fallout
Tehran has countered with drone and missile barrages on US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, and the US Embassy in Riyadh, while Hezbollah launched strikes on Israel and explosions rocked Dubai and Doha. Pentagon assessments warn of depleting missile stocks should the war persist another 10 days, with India's projections estimating the campaign's cost at over Rs 1.88 lakh crore. Data centers in the Middle East have also suffered drone hits, heralding a shift toward cyber-physical warfare tactics.
Strategic Objectives and Global Reactions
The joint US-Israeli campaign aims to eradicate Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs while toppling the Islamic Republic, though experts caution that prior strikes have merely delayed, not destroyed, Tehran's atomic ambitions. Trump attributed the timing to preventing an Iranian first strike, potentially preempting Israeli action, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited intelligence of Tehran's imminent aggression.
World leaders, including India's PM Modi, have voiced deep concern, urging dialogue amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions and oil production halts in Iraq.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
