US Hails Israel Strike, Highlights Deep Coordination in Early Phase of Operation ‘Epic Fury’

Washington, March 2026 : US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday publicly commended Israel for carrying out an airstrike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing the action as a successful military operation and a key moment in the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury. His remarks underscored the depth of coordination between the United States and Israel as the conflict rapidly escalated.

Responding to questions about Israel’s decision to conduct the strike, Hegseth said the operation had been executed effectively. “I think Israel did a great job in the conduct of that operation,” he noted, signalling strong US approval of its ally’s actions. The comments marked one of the clearest public endorsements by a senior US official of Israel’s role in the unfolding military campaign against Iran.

Further operational details were provided by Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. He explained that the initial American assault was a daylight strike triggered by events on the ground and carried out by the Israeli Defense Forces, with critical support from US intelligence agencies. According to Caine, Israeli action created the conditions for a much larger US offensive that followed within hours.

Caine said that after Donald Trump issued final approval for the operation with what he described as “no aborts,” more than 100 US aircraft launched in a tightly synchronised wave from both land and sea. These strikes were designed to hit multiple Iranian military assets simultaneously, demonstrating the scale and speed of US military mobilisation.

At the same time, US officials made it clear that Israel was conducting extensive independent operations. Caine revealed that Israeli forces had already executed hundreds of sorties against hundreds of targets beyond those included in US Air Force and Navy strike packages. He characterised the two efforts as parallel yet closely coordinated, reflecting a shared operational framework rather than a single, unified command.

Hegseth sought to frame the campaign as limited in scope and intent. He rejected suggestions that Washington was pursuing regime change in Tehran, stating that US objectives were focused on degrading Iranian military capabilities and neutralising threats. Using stark language, he linked Israeli and American actions, saying the regime that had long chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” had now faced lethal force from both countries.

Throughout the Pentagon briefing, Israel was repeatedly cited as a central operational partner. Caine highlighted coordination across intelligence, air, cyber and space domains, saying the opening assault showcased an unprecedented level of joint integration across every element of the combined force. He added that such seamless cooperation was the result of years of planning, shared doctrine and mutual trust.

Hegseth echoed that assessment, describing Israel as a capable and reliable partner with clearly defined missions of its own. Officials stressed that Israeli operations extended well beyond a single leadership strike and included sustained aerial campaigns alongside US forces. Together, they said, the two militaries were acting in concert against Iran’s command structures, missile capabilities and naval infrastructure, marking what Caine called a historic operation in both scale and execution.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)