Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged decisive action against Iran following Operation Epic Fury, describing the campaign as a critical effort to weaken Tehran’s military power. Rice said Epic Fury reflects a broader strategy to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies across the Middle East.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Rice praised joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military assets. The operation reportedly killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and damaged significant military infrastructure. Rice argued the operation should not be viewed as the start of a new war.
“Iran has been at war with us for at least 47 years,” she explained. “If you ask people about Iraq, what was the source of many of our casualties in Iraq, you’ll get estimates as high as 75 or 80% of them were due to Iranian-made roadside bombs.”
Operation Epic Fury has involved more than 50,000 troops, about 200 fighter aircraft, and two aircraft carriers, according to U.S. Central Command. Officials also reported six American service members killed during the operation and about 20 Iranian naval vessels struck or sunk.
Rice also warned about Iran’s long-standing support for militant groups across the region. “They also have developed the military capability to reach outside the boundaries of Iran, including Hezbollah and Hamas, which they both arm and equip,” Rice said.
Diplomatic efforts aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program previously stalled, after Tehran refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Rice argued the regime’s record shows a sustained threat to regional stability.
“To say that this regime was not a threat … it’s ahistorical,” Rice said. “They have been a threat for a long time.”
Rice stated that weakening Iran’s military reach remains a central objective. “If you can render Iran essentially incapable of military action against us and against our allies, that’s worthy,” she said. “And I think what they’re trying to do is to neuter Iran as a military power in the region.”
Rice warned that Iran may not remain vulnerable for long. “They are essentially, at this moment, defenseless,” Rice asserted. “They won’t always be defenseless, and so the decision is to really, at this point, take care of it and render them incapable of those activities.”
