What They’re Saying About Operation Epic Fury—March 4, 2026
U.S.
President Donald Trump | The Hill
“Their leadership is rapidly going. Everyone that wants to be a leader ends up dead. . . . Their missiles are being wiped out rapidly. Their launchers are being wiped out.”
President Donald Trump | New York Post
“I got [Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei] before he got me . . . They tried twice. Well, I got him first.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio | X
“We are well on our way to achieving the objectives of #EpicFury[:] Destroy their missile launchers[.] Destroy their missile factories[.] Destroy their Navy[.] So they can never hide behind these things to develop a nuclear weapon[.]”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth | Department of Defense Website
“America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy. . . . [W]e are only four days into this. Metrics are shifting, dust is settling, and more forces are arriving. It’s very early. And as President Trump has said, we will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed. . . . [I]n under a week, the two most powerful Air Forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested airspace.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson | X
“Iran’s increasing aggression and rapid ballistic missile development presented a clear and imminent threat that demanded decisive action. The President acted fully within his authority under the law, and consistent with the precedent set by presidents for the past four decades. Efforts now to restrict the Commander in Chief from completing this limited but crucial mission would be both dangerous and irresponsible.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries | X
“Donald Trump’s war of choice in the Middle East will not make our country safer. And the American people know it.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer | X
“Americans overwhelmingly oppose war with Iran. And Senate Republicans have a duty to stand up for Americans by forcing Donald Trump to reverse course. Today, every senator, every single one, will pick a side. Do you stand with the American people, who are exhausted of forever wars in the Middle East, or stand with Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth as they bumble us headfirst into another war?”
“Our [alternative] war powers resolution allows for the short-term, targeted strikes on the regime’s missiles and bombs, requires Trump to come to Congress for a vote, and specifies ‘no ground troops.’ Destroy the regimes ability to destroy more lives or cause any more mayhem or violence. Nothing more.”
ISRAEL
“🎯 NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT SITE STRUCK. The covert ‘Minzadehei’ compound was used by a group of nuclear scientists who operated to develop a key component for nuclear weapons. Using intelligence, the IDF tracked the activities at this new location, removing a key component of the Iranian regime’s capability to develop nuclear weapons.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz | X
“Any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime will be a clear target for elimination. The prime minister and I instructed the IDF to prepare and act by all means to accomplish the mission . . . We will continue acting with full force, together with our American partners, crush the regime’s abilities and create the conditions for the Iranian people to topple and replace it.”
IRAN
Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani | X
“Mr. Trump, swayed by Netanyahu’s clownish antics, has dragged the American people into an unjust war with Iran. Now he must calculate: with over 500 American soldiers killed in just the past few days, does America still come first—or Israel?”
“The story continues. The martyrdom of Imam Khamenei will exact a heavy price from you. God willing.”
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Ebrahim Jabbari | Agence France-Presse
“We are saying to the enemy that if it decides to hit our main centers, we will hit all economic centers in the region . . . We have closed the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, the price of oil is above $80 and will soon reach $200.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian | X
“Dear esteemed leaders of our friendly and neighboring countries, we have strived, with your assistance and through diplomacy, to avoid war. However, the American-Zionist military attack has left us with no choice but to defend ourselves. We respect your sovereignty and still believe that the region’s peace must be ensured by the countries of the region.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi | X
“When complex nuclear negotiations are treated like a real estate transaction, and when big lies cloud realities, unrealistic expectations can never be met. The outcome? Bombing the negotiation table out of spite. Mr. Trump betrayed diplomacy and Americans who elected him.”
GULF STATES
“The ministry stated that since the start of the blatant Iranian aggression, 189 ballistic missiles launched towards the UAE have been detected, with 175 missiles destroyed, 13 falling into the sea and one missile landing within the territory of the state. A total of 941 Iranian drones have also been detected, of which 876 were intercepted, while 65 fell within the country. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed.”
UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation Reem Al Hashimy | The National
“Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, called on the UN Security Council to assume responsibility in addressing the attacks, which she said pose a direct threat to regional security. ‘Our message is clear. The Iranian attacks are not justified, and the military solution will only lead to further crises,’ Ms Al Hashimy told journalists during a briefing in Abu Dhabi, calling for ‘serious and responsible dialogue.’ ‘We do not seek to expand the circle of confrontation, and we do not believe that military solutions create permanent stability,’ said Ms Al Hashimy.”
Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs | X
“HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has rejected Iranian claims that recent missile attacks were not aimed at Qatar, saying the evidence on the ground showed otherwise. . . . HE Sheikh Mohammed described the strikes as a "flagrant violation" of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and of international law. He added that the attacks were not limited to missiles, but were ongoing through drones, as well as aircraft that had entered Qatari airspace and were intercepted by the country's armed forces. His Excellency added that these Iranian actions reflected ‘an escalatory approach’ and did not indicate any genuine desire for de-escalation or resolution, accusing Tehran of seeking to harm its neighbors and draw them into a war ‘that is not theirs.’”
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior | X
“Four people were arrested for filming and posting videos related to the effects of Iranian aggression, expressing sympathy for it, and others from military sites, which constitutes treason.”
Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs | X
“On March 3, 2026, the State of Kuwait addressed two identical letters to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council regarding the heinous attacks launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the State of Kuwait since Saturday, February 28, 2026, targeting, in a random manner, a number of civilian facilities, in flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty and airspace.”
TURKEY
Turkish Ministry of National Defense | Ministry Website
“A ballistic munition detected to have been launched from Iran and, after passing through the airspace of Iraq and Syria, directed towards Turkish airspace, was timely engaged and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. . . . Our determination and capacity to ensure the security of our country and our citizens are at the highest level. While Türkiye stands on the side of regional stability and peace, it is fully capable of safeguarding its territory and citizens against threats from any actor or direction. Every necessary step for the defense of our land and airspace will be taken resolutely and without hesitation. We remind that our right to respond to any hostile act against our country remains reserved. We call on all parties to refrain from steps that could further escalate the conflict in the region.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan | Reuters
“‘Iran’s indiscriminate bombing of all these places is an incredibly wrong strategy,’ [Fidan] tells state broadcaster TRT Haber, adding that Tehran is using a strategy of ‘if I drown, I’ll drown the region as well.’ Fidan says countries attacked by Iran may not be able to remain silent if the strikes continue, and that the risk of the conflict widening further is worrying.”
JORDAN
Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan | X
“His Majesty King Abdullah II received a call from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which they discussed the need to utilise dialogue as a means of resolving crises and preventing escalation, and to intensify international efforts to restore regional calm.”
PAKISTAN
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif | X
“I spoke with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam today to convey Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Lebanon in the wake of Israeli attacks that have caused tragic loss of life. Pakistan firmly supports Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also discussed the wider regional escalation and agreed on the urgent need for restraint, de-escalation, and restoration of peace.”
EUROPE
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas | X
“Tehran’s strategy is to sow chaos and set the region on fire. By indiscriminately attacking its neighbours, the regime is making a strong case for its own demise. The dream scenario would be a democratic Iran that poses no threat to its neighbours. But this outcome is far from certain. Right now, no one can predict which direction Iran will take.”
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer | X
“We’re taking action to reduce the threat with planes in the sky in the region intercepting incoming strikes, deploying more capability to Cyprus, and allowing US planes to use UK bases to take out Iran's capability to strike. What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position.”
UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) | UK Government Website
“Today, the Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, summoned the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Kingdom. His Excellency Seyed Ali Mousavi was summoned in response to Iran’s role in recent events across the Middle East.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez | Financial Times
“Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the US-Israeli war in Iran a ‘disaster’ that he likened to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s assault on Gaza after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade ties with Spain over the conflict. ‘You cannot respond to illegality with more illegality, because that is how humanity’s great disasters begin,’ he said in an address to the nation on Wednesday.”
French President Emmanuel Macron | X
“Today I met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to discuss the situation in Lebanon, which is highly concerning. I reaffirmed the need for Hezbollah to immediately cease its attacks against Israel and beyond. This strategy of escalation constitutes a major error that endangers the entire region. Similarly, I called on the Israeli Prime Minister to preserve Lebanon’s territorial integrity and to refrain from a ground offensive. It is important for the parties to return to the ceasefire agreement.”
UKRAINE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy | X
“I held a meeting on the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region – the challenges for Ukraine and our partners, as well as our capacity to help protect lives, prevent the war from expanding, and stabilize global markets. The Iranian regime, which is striving to survive at any cost, poses clear threats to all states in the region and to global stability.”
RUSSIA
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova | Reuters
“There is no doubt that the imaginary, invented Iranian threat, repeatedly stated over many years, was merely a pretext for the implementation of a long-cherished plan to violently overthrow the constitutional order of a sovereign state . . . that Washington and Tel Aviv dislike.”
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