1 00:00:16,830 --> 00:00:21,150 Operation Epic Fury Those 3 words change the world. 2 00:00:21,710 --> 00:00:25,550 Welcome to Epic Fury, the US Iran War podcast. 3 00:00:25,950 --> 00:00:30,070 On Saturday, February 28th, 2026, the United States and 4 00:00:30,070 --> 00:00:32,910 Israel launched one of the largest coordinated military 5 00:00:32,910 --> 00:00:36,390 strikes in recent history, targeting the Islamic Republic 6 00:00:36,390 --> 00:00:38,830 of Iran. This is episode 1. 7 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,280 We are going to break down everything. 8 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,040 What happened, where was hit, why now, what Iran did in 9 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:49,080 response and what came next. This is the most important story 10 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,520 on the planet right now and we are just getting started. 11 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,160 Let's begin at the very beginning. 12 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:00,960 What actually happened. On February 28th, 2026, at 2:30 13 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,880 in the morning Eastern Time, President Donald Trump released 14 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,040 an 8 minute video on Truth Social. 15 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,880 In it, he confirmed that the United States military had begun 16 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,720 what he called major combat operations in Iran. 17 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,120 His exact words were these the United States military began 18 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,280 major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the 19 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,280 American people by eliminating imminent threats from the 20 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,640 Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. 21 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,520 He laid out his full case, 47 years of what he described as an 22 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,800 unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, going all the 23 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,960 way back to the 1979 hostage crisis. 24 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,360 He said, and this is a direct quote, for 47 years, the Iranian 25 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,360 regime has chanted death to America and wage an unending 26 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,680 campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United 27 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,040 States, our troops and the innocent people. 28 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,480 In many, many countries, he added. 29 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,280 It has been mass terror and we are not going to put up with it 30 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,480 any longer. He said Iran had rejected every 31 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,000 opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions and that the 32 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,840 time for warnings was over. Shortly after that video went 33 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,120 live, the Pentagon confirmed the name of the operation in a 34 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:19,720 social media post. 3 words and an American flag operation Epic 35 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,400 Fury. Now, this was not a solo 36 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,360 American mission, not even close. 37 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,320 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu simultaneously 38 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,800 announced Israel's own parallel offensive, which he named the 39 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,160 Roar of the Lion. Netanyahu said, and I am 40 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,880 paraphrasing here, that this murderous terrorist regime must 41 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,280 not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to 42 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,320 threaten all of humanity. He added that the joint action 43 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,600 would create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take 44 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,320 their fate into their own hands. This was a fully coordinated 45 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,840 joint United States and Israeli military campaign. 46 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:00,040 Months in the planning, executed simultaneously. 47 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,280 Now let's talk about what made this operation different from 48 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,320 what came before. Back in June of 2025, just eight 49 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,680 months earlier, the United States and Israel had struck 50 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,720 Iranian nuclear installations in a limited operation that was 51 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,480 over within hours. A single targeted campaign. 52 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,320 This time was different, significantly different. 53 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,880 Axios and CNN both reported that United States military planners 54 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,960 have been preparing for weeks long, sustained operations. 55 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:35,280 Not hours, not days, weeks. Officials describe this as a 56 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,840 broad campaign, not a limited strike. 57 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,960 In early February, the United States had already deployed a 58 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:45,160 second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, to the Middle 59 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,480 East alongside the USS Harry S Truman, which was already 60 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,920 stationed there. 2 carrier groups. 61 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,480 That level of naval presence signal serious sustain intent, 62 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,760 and the timing of the strikes added another layer of 63 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,000 deliberate messaging. These attacks began in broad 64 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,040 daylight early on a Saturday morning in Iran. 65 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,760 It was also the holy month of Ramadan, a time when Iran's 66 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,080 majority Muslim population is fasting during daylight hours. 67 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,280 Millions of Iranians were heading to work and school when 68 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,320 the explosions began. This was designed to be seen by 69 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,800 Iran, by the region, by the world. 70 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,440 So what exactly were the targets? 71 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,080 Trump was direct. He said the campaign aimed to 72 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,040 destroy their missiles and raise their missile industry to the 73 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,280 ground, he added. We are going to annihilate their 74 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:38,040 Navy. The objective was 3 pronged. 75 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,880 Destroy Iran's missile capabilities. 76 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,280 Prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and, according 77 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:49,440 to Trump's own words, ultimately topple the regime itself. the 78 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,720 United States official told Fox News that the American side was 79 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,160 focusing specifically on military targets and ballistic 80 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,840 missile sites that posed an imminent threat to the region. 81 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,440 Israel, meanwhile, was separately targeting Iranian 82 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,360 leadership. Trump also made a direct appeal 83 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,920 to members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the 84 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,720 IRGC. He called on them to lay down 85 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:13,680 their arms in exchange for immunity. 86 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,440 He warned that refusal would mean, in his words, certain 87 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,000 death. So let's talk geography. 88 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,440 Where exactly was struck on February 28th? 89 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,560 The scale was staggering. Explosions were reported across 90 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,800 Iran simultaneously. In Tehran, the capital, in the 91 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:37,080 heart of the country, in Isfan in Calm, the religious center of 92 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:43,040 Iran, in Karich, in Kirmansh, in To Breeze, in the northwest, in 93 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:48,360 Islam, and in Morstan Province. This was not a surgical strike 94 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,400 on a single facility in the desert. 95 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:54,040 This was a nationwide coordinated assault on multiple 96 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,760 targets across the entire country at once. 97 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,280 In Tehran specifically, the strikes hit close to the 98 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:03,600 headquarters of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 99 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,400 At least one strike was reported near the personal offices of 100 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,520 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself. 101 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,240 And Speaking of Khamenei, where was he when this happened? 102 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,520 A source directly involved in the Israeli side of the 103 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:21,200 operation told CBS News that both Khamenei and Iranian 104 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,600 President Mehsud Posseshkian were among the primary targets 105 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,720 of the first wave of strikes. However, Iranian state media and 106 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,960 multiple regional sources reported that both men survived. 107 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,680 Reuters, citing Israeli military and regional sources, confirmed 108 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:40,120 that Common A was not in Tehran at the time of the strikes and 109 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,520 had been relocated to a secure, undisclosed compound. 110 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,560 However, the same sources told Reuters that two very senior 111 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:49,560 Iranian figures were likely killed. 112 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,240 Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nazerzada and Islamic 113 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,400 Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Mohammed Pakpur were 114 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,600 both reported by Reuters to have likely been killed by Israeli 115 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,720 airstrikes. These are extraordinary losses 116 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,920 at the very top of Iran's military command structure. 117 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,680 Now let's talk about the human cost. 118 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,200 This is where the story becomes deeply painful. 119 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,560 News Nation reported that the United States and Israeli 120 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,760 strikes killed at least 40 people at a girls school in 121 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,200 southern Iran, according to Iran's state-run news agency 122 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,200 IRNA. At least 45 others were wounded 123 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,240 in that single incident. The targeting of a school, 124 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,160 whether deliberate or a consequence of proximity to a 125 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,680 military site, immediately became one of the most contested 126 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,720 and emotionally charged elements of the entire operation. 127 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,440 Beyond that specific incident, the full civilian casualty 128 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,800 figures from across Iran we're still emerging in the immediate 129 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,240 hours after the strikes began. What was clear was that this was 130 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,520 not a conflict confined to military installations in the 131 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,720 middle of nowhere. Cities were being struck. 132 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,400 Populated areas were experiencing the direct impact 133 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,360 of the campaign. One more detail that tells you 134 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,720 the scale of disruption. According to the Net Blocks 135 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,440 organization, Internet access was shut down across Iran 136 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,520 entirely. Mobile phone services were also 137 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,680 cut. The regime severed its own 138 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,960 population from the outside world in an attempt to control 139 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,640 the information environment. People inside Iran in those 140 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,320 first hours had almost no way of knowing the full picture of what 141 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,960 was happening in their own country, and the impact extended 142 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:33,320 well beyond Iran's borders. Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and 143 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,080 the United Arab Emirates all closed their airspace. 144 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,640 Israel and Syria closed their airspace as well. 145 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,520 Airlines including Air India, Indigo, Biman, Bangladesh 146 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,800 Airlines, Lufthansa, Was Air and Virgin Atlantic all suspended 147 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,200 Middle East flights, according to Flight Radar 24. 148 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,400 The skies over the region were largely empty of civilian 149 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,080 aircraft. In the hours following the 150 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,240 strikes, the United States Department of State issued 151 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,840 shelter in place advisories for American citizens in Bahrain, 152 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,840 Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. 153 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,240 We are going to pause here when we come back. 154 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:12,520 Iran fires back. The political earthquake in 155 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,200 Washington. The reaction from around the 156 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,880 world and the critical question of what all of this actually 157 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:20,720 means. Welcome back. 158 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:25,280 Let's talk about Iran's response because Tehran did not hesitate. 159 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,840 Iran launched what multiple outlets described as an 160 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:32,200 unprecedented wave of retaliatory strikes across the 161 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,720 Middle East. Dozens of ballistic missiles 162 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,480 were fired, targeting Israel and United States military bases 163 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,520 across the region. Countries targeted by Iranian 164 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:46,000 missiles included Israel, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, 165 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,800 Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 166 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,560 CNN reported that blasts were heard from the beaches of Dubai 167 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,800 to the streets of Doha. It was not immediately clear in 168 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,520 those first hours whether those explosions were the sound of 169 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,320 missiles being intercepted by air defense systems or missiles 170 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,200 hitting their targets. The Israeli Defense Forces 171 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,400 confirmed that a significant volley of Iranian missiles was 172 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,800 launched toward Israel. Israeli air defense systems 173 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,680 intercepted and destroyed several of those missiles over 174 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:19,400 the skies of Jerusalem. Emergency alert sirens sounded 175 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,920 across Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Israel 176 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,560 Katz declared a special and immediate state of emergency 177 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:30,600 across the entire country. Israelis were instructed to stay 178 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,720 close to shelter. Schools and workplaces were 179 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,480 closed. Rolling Marks, a journalist 180 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,040 based in Modi in Israel, described the situation on the 181 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:41,520 ground. She said. 182 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,640 We are now on emergency war footing in and out of shelter. 183 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,120 All morning, CNN analysts pointed out something 184 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,800 significant about Iran's decision to retaliate so quickly 185 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,560 and so broadly. When the United States and 186 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:59,600 Israel struck Iran back in June of 2025, those strikes 187 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,160 specifically targeted Iran's stockpile of ballistic missiles, 188 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,080 significantly hampering its ability to fire back. 189 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,880 Analysts suggested that Iran may have made the calculation to use 190 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,600 whatever missile capability it still had as quickly as possible 191 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,200 before further strikes could degrade it further. 192 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,400 Use it or lose it. Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a 193 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,760 formal statement calling the strikes a direct violation of 194 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,760 the United Nations Charter. They vowed what they call the 195 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,120 decisive and definitive response. 196 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,680 They said they're armed forces would not hesitate to defend the 197 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:34,560 country. And they warned that the 198 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:36,800 aggressors would regret their criminal act. 199 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,320 The statement also invoked Iranian history, saying that 200 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,280 Iranians have never bowed their heads in submission to foreign 201 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,440 aggression. And at this time, the response 202 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,200 of the Iranian nation would be decisive and definitive. 203 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,200 The Houthis in Yemen also announced that they would resume 204 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,720 attacks in the Red Sea in solidarity with Iran, raising 205 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,440 the prospect of renewed disruption to one of the world's 206 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,200 most critical shipping lanes. Now let's talk about Washington, 207 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,120 because the political fallout from this decision was immediate 208 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,200 and significant. On the Republican side, many of 209 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,440 the loudest voices lined up firmly behind the president. 210 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,240 House Majority Whip Tom Emmer called it a bold, decisive act 211 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:19,000 of strength, pointing to decades of Iranian sponsored terrorism 212 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:21,880 and the deaths of hundreds of United States service members. 213 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,800 But here is where it became complicated. 214 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,240 Not everyone on the right agreed. 215 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:31,200 Republican Congressman Thomas Massie was one of the most vocal 216 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,000 critics within Trump's own party. 217 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,480 He called this an act of war that had not been authorized by 218 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:39,240 Congress. He raised the War Powers Act 219 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,240 directly. The War Powers Act, passed in 220 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:46,160 1973 in the aftermath of Vietnam, requires the president 221 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,440 to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing United 222 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,240 States forces to military action and limits the duration of such 223 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,120 action without congressional approval to 60 days. 224 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,920 Massey argued that Trump had no legal authority to launch this 225 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,240 operation without a congressional vote. 226 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,120 He was not alone. Many Democrats raised the same 227 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,160 constitutional question. Did the president of the United 228 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,320 States have the authority to start a war with Iran without 229 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,600 Congress? Trump himself addressed 230 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,840 reporters briefly and said all I want is freedom for the people. 231 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,920 I want a safe nation and that is what we are going to have. 232 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,400 He framed the entire operation as being ultimately about 233 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,520 liberating the Iranian people from their own government, not 234 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,720 about conflict with Iran as a nation. 235 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:35,880 Now let's look at how the rest of the world reacted. the United 236 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,720 Kingdom government released a statement saying it did not want 237 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,240 to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict. 238 00:13:42,680 --> 00:13:45,240 The British government said it had bolstered its defensive 239 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,680 capabilities in the region and was offering consular support to 240 00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:51,280 British citizens. Australian Prime Minister 241 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:54,160 Anthony Albanese weighed in, signaling that he viewed the 242 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,440 United States strikes as a response to Iranian aggression, 243 00:13:57,680 --> 00:14:00,360 though Australia was careful not to directly endorse the 244 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,960 operation. Qatar found itself in an 245 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,320 extraordinarily difficult position. 246 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:09,560 Qatar hosts Al Udiyid Air Base, the largest United States 247 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:11,800 military installation in the Middle East. 248 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,040 But Qatar was also struck by Iranian retaliatory missiles. 249 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,280 Qatar's foreign ministry said it reserved its full right to 250 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,040 defend itself. Qatar's Defense ministry 251 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:25,520 confirmed it had successfully intercepted a number of attacks 252 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,880 targeting its territory. The ministry said that targeting 253 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:31,920 Qatari territory contradicted the principles of good 254 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,480 neighborliness and could not be accepted under any pretext or 255 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,320 justification. Authorities reported no 256 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,320 immediate injuries or damage in residential areas. 257 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,440 And then there was one of the most striking voices to emerge 258 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:48,080 on that day. Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza 259 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:52,960 Palavi, the son of the Shah who was overthrown in 1979, released 260 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,560 a public video statement. He addressed Iran's military 261 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,360 directly. He urged officers and soldiers 262 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,720 to stand down, to refuse orders and to join the Iranian people. 263 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,000 He spoke about bringing about what he called a stable and 264 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,800 secure transition away from the Islamic Republic. 265 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,720 He also appealed directly to Trump to exercise the utmost 266 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,800 caution to protect civilian lives. 267 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,240 The fact that Iran's royal family in exile was speaking 268 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,200 publicly on this day, calling openly for regime change, was 269 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,320 itself a moment of enormous historical significance. 270 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:30,720 Now let's zoom out fully. Why did this happen on February 271 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,880 28th, 2026? What was the road that led here? 272 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,040 The context is essential. Beginning in late December of 273 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:43,480 2025, massive nationwide anti government protests had erupted 274 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,640 across Iran. Driven largely by catastrophic 275 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:50,400 economic crisis, the collapse of the Iranian rial, and spiraling 276 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,120 prices, the protests spread to over 100 cities across the 277 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,600 country. They were the largest protests 278 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,880 in Iran since the 1979 revolution itself. 279 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,800 Many protesters were calling openly for regime change. 280 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,760 The Iranian government responded with violent crackdown. the 281 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,760 United States based human rights activist news agency estimated 282 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,760 the death toll from the crackdown at 7000 people. 283 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:19,520 The Iranian government's own figure was 3117. 284 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,920 Trump and other American officials cited a figure of 285 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,240 32,000. Regardless of the exact number, 286 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,400 the scale of the regime's violence against its own people 287 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,880 was undeniable and became a central part of Trump's public 288 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:37,440 justification for the operation. Throughout February 2026, the 289 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,440 United States and Iran have been engaged in nuclear negotiations. 290 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,120 The talks were described by some as showing progress. 291 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,560 Just the day before the strikes, on Friday, February 27th, Oman's 292 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,040 foreign minister said a breakthrough had been reached. 293 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:56,000 He claimed Iran had agreed never to stockpile enriched uranium 294 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:59,240 and to accept full verification by the International Atomic 295 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,480 Energy Agency. He said peace was within reach. 296 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:05,240 Then, within hours, the bombs fell. 297 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,119 The key sticking point that ultimately made a deal 298 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:12,200 impossible was Israel's demand. Israel insisted that any 299 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,960 agreement must include the complete and irreversible 300 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,240 dismantling of Iran's entire nuclear infrastructure. 301 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,520 Not a pause, not limits. Total dismantlement. 302 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:27,560 Iran refused absolutely, and without Israeli agreement, the 303 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,000 United States would not sign any deal. 304 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,800 The 10 day deadline that Trump had publicly issued to Iran 305 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:38,320 expired on February 28th. This operation had been planned 306 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:40,960 for weeks. Officials had told Reuters as 307 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,000 far back as mid February that the United States was preparing 308 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,080 for weeks long sustained operations, not a limited 309 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,480 strike. The deadline was not a bluff, it 310 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,320 was a countdown. So what does all of this mean? 311 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,960 What happens from here? First, this was not going to be 312 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,120 over quickly. With two aircraft carrier groups 313 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:03,080 in the region and weeks of operations reportedly planned, 314 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,080 the United States was clearly committed to a sustained 315 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,120 campaign. Second, Iran's retaliation was 316 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:12,360 immediate, broad, and potentially just the beginning. 317 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,840 Dozens of ballistic missiles had already been fired across the 318 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,560 region. The Houthis had pledged to re 319 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,800 enter the fight. Iranian proxy forces in Iraq, 320 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,040 Lebanon and Syria were all potential vectors for further 321 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,880 escalation. Third, the humanitarian 322 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,240 situation inside Iran was already deeply alarming. 323 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:35,080 A girls school had been struck with significant casualties on 324 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,080 day one. Cities across the country had 325 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,760 experienced explosions. The Internet and mobile networks 326 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,520 have been cut off. Millions of civilians were 327 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,760 living through the opening hours of a war with no reliable 328 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,080 information about what was happening around them. 4th. 329 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,320 The political and legal battle in Washington was only 330 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,080 beginning. The War Powers Act debate was 331 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,880 going to be one of the defining domestic stories of the weeks 332 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,120 ahead. Congressional hearings were 333 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:06,360 coming, legal challenges were likely, and the question of 334 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:09,480 presidential war making authority was going to be fought 335 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,680 out in public. And 5th, nobody knew how far 336 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,480 this would go. The nightmare scenario was a 337 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,400 broader regional war. Hezbollah in Lebanon, the 338 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,960 Houthis in Yemen, Iranian proxies in Iraq. 339 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,160 The potential for other regional or global powers to be drawn in 340 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,400 the world in those first hours was watching with a level of 341 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:33,640 anxiety not seen in a generation. 342 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,680 That is episode 1 of Epic Fury, the US Iran war podcast. 343 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:43,280 The story is moving fast. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple 344 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,080 Podcast or YouTube so every new episode lands directly with you. 345 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:50,520 Share this with someone who needs to understand what is 346 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,640 happening and we will be back very soon.