Trump Says US May Carry Out Another ‘Epic Fury’ Operation Against Iran
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington may carry out another military operation against Iran, as the war nears its eighth month and rising fuel prices weigh on the upcoming US midterm elections.
“We may do another little Epic Fury,” Trump said in remarks at a rally in Fort Myers, Florida, as he spoke about the war. He did not elaborate.
Operation Epic Fury is the name used by the US military for its war against Iran.
‘Epic Fury’ remark muddies end-of-war signals
Earlier on Friday, Trump said the United States could end the war quickly but questioned whether Washington should seek a swift conclusion or allow the conflict to gradually wind down.
The two statements point in different directions. Days earlier, Trump had ruled out an attack on Iran before the midterms, saying the US was “not negotiating” with Tehran but hinting something would happen “fairly soon”. Friday’s rally remark keeps the military option firmly on the table.
The war is now approaching eight months, making it one of the longest sustained US military engagements in the region in recent years. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions, according to the reporting. The human cost has grown with each passing month, while diplomatic off-ramps have repeatedly stalled.
For American voters, the most immediate pressure is economic. Fuel prices have climbed as the conflict has dragged on, and Trump openly linked the war to the midterm elections, a rare admission of how foreign conflicts feed domestic political calculations.
Tankers hit near Hormuz
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that two tankers struck naval mines while attempting to use what they described as an “unauthorised route” south of the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported.
The strait remains the world’s most important oil chokepoint. Any disruption there feeds directly into global fuel prices, which Trump himself acknowledged were weighing on the midterm elections.
Pakistan has a direct stake in these developments. The country imports most of its oil through Gulf shipping lanes, and earlier reporting has documented how threats to Gulf infrastructure translate into higher costs for Pakistani consumers and businesses.
Diplomacy continues in parallel
Even as Trump mused about another operation, diplomatic efforts carried on. On the same day, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt backed the Islamabad-brokered understanding between Iran and the US at the R4 meeting in Istanbul, joined for the first time by European powers.
The contrast captures the current moment: military threats and mediation running side by side, with the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf shipping lanes hanging in the balance.
Frequently asked questions
What is Operation Epic Fury?
Operation Epic Fury is the name used by the US military for its war against Iran, now approaching its eighth month.
What did Trump say at the Florida rally?
Trump told supporters in Fort Myers that the US “may do another little Epic Fury”, without elaborating on timing or targets.
How does the Iran war affect Pakistan?
Pakistan imports most of its oil through Gulf shipping lanes, so escalation near the Strait of Hormuz pushes up fuel prices and shipping costs for Pakistani consumers and exporters.
