IDF says U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran have been ongoing for months
Saturday’s massive attack by the United States and Israel, described by the U.S. military as “Operation Epic Fury,” had been developing over the months leading up to the attack, according to Israeli officials. “The attack included strikes on dozens of military targets,” an IDF spokesman stated in his first remarks after the assault on Iran. The statement also emphasized the IDF’s close collaboration with the United States during the planning phase. The United States has not disclosed how long the operation has been in the works or how long it has been active. The Israel Defense Forces reported: “In the months leading up to the attack, the Israel Defense Forces and the U.S. Army conducted close joint planning that allowed the two armies to carry out extensive assaults with maximum synchronization and coordination.”
On February 26, 2026, in Tehran, Iran, an Iranian woman walked past an anti-American billboard. Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Reuters: “The Iranian regime has not given up its plans to destroy Israel,” the statement noted. “The IDF has recognized that the regime continues to seek to strengthen, protect, and hide its nuclear program and to resume missile production. The regime continues to fund, train, and arm its proxies stationed within Israel,” the IDF stated. These actions create an existential threat to Israel and endanger the Middle East and the entire world.
“According to U.S. officials, about 35,000 U.S. military personnel are currently in the Middle East. The United States has large military bases in the region, the largest of which is Al Udeid Base in Qatar, housing around 10,000 personnel. Near Bahrain, the Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters accommodates about 3,200 personnel and their families. Thick smoke rises from the skyline after the explosion in Tehran, Iran. February 28, 2026, Saturday. Approximately 1,000 U.S. troops are in Syria, although they are preparing to withdraw, in addition to 2,500 troops based in Erbil, Iraq, in the north. The United States also has many more fighter jets in the Middle East than it did in mid-January. An aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and up to four destroyers may soon join the 12 already present.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry released a statement on Saturday saying, “Now is the time to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military aggression. As we prepare for negotiations, we are also enhancing our defense preparations more than ever.” “The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to the aggressor with authority.” ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Jack Moore contributed to this report.