America woke up to the news of the war with Iran over the weekend, and now details have emerged of the official timeline of events.
President Donald Trump’s order to start the first phase of Operation Epic Fury included a clear message to commanders: “Operation Epic Fury is approved. No aborts. Good luck.” This information came from a timeline released on Monday by Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Caine stated that U.S. Central Command got the final “go order” at 3:38 p.m. Eastern on February 27. U.S. forces then moved into their last preparations across the region. Air defense units checked their systems for incoming attacks, strike crews practiced their planned missions, and carrier strike groups positioned themselves to launch.
According to Reuters, Caine explained that U.S. Cyber Command and U.S. Space Command acted first to disrupt Iran’s ability to detect, communicate, and respond before the strike package launched. At 1:15 a.m. Eastern on February 28, over 100 aircraft from land and sea took off in what he referred to as “a single synchronized wave.” He noted that the daylight attack followed a “trigger event” by Israel, supported by U.S. intelligence.
Caine said the U.S. Navy fired Tomahawk missiles first, while U.S. forces also launched precision standoff weapons. In the initial 24 hours, they targeted over 1,000 sites. He described the early focus as attacks on Iran’s command-and-control network, naval forces, ballistic missile sites, and intelligence infrastructure to “daze and confuse them.”
The opening phase involved B-2 bombers that made a 37-hour round-trip flight from the continental United States. He mentioned that these strikes helped establish air superiority and provided better protection for U.S. forces as the operation progressed.
As the campaign entered its second day, the Pentagon reported that missile defense systems and naval assets intercepted incoming fire aimed at U.S. and allied forces. Caine said Patriot and THAAD batteries, along with Navy destroyers capable of ballistic missile defense, intercepted hundreds of missiles. He added that one-way attack drones remained a constant threat more than two days into the operation.
The administration has paired this operational report with public messages directed at service members. In an official White House statement about the launch of the operation, Trump concluded with: “May God Bless our Troops and all those involved in carrying out Operation Epic Fury.”
In a separate Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the mission’s goals as “laser-focused.” He said the operation aimed to “destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and ensure they will never have nuclear weapons.”
Caine reported that four U.S. service members have died and more remain seriously wounded since the operation began. The president noted that more Americans will likely die in the conflict as criticism among his base mounts.
Trump has been accused of going against his pledge to put ‘America First,’ but the White House argues that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. However, this claim has been called into question as no proof of an attack has been released.
