US says operation 'Epic Fury' against Iran over as Strait of Hormuz crisis continues
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Operation “Epic Fury” had ended and described the offensive phase of the conflict with Iran as complete during a White House press briefing on Tuesday.
“The operation is over. Epic Fury is... the President notified Congress. We're done with that stage of it. We're now on to this project of freedom,” Rubio said.
His remarks came as tensions continued in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route affected by the conflict between the United States and Iran.
Later on Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced a “pause” in what he called “Project Freedom,” a plan aimed at guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, Trump warned that Iran would be “blown off the face of the earth” if it attacked US vessels.
The United States and Iran have given conflicting accounts regarding recent incidents in the Strait. Washington claimed that two vessels had passed through the waterway, while Iran denied the claim.
Around 2,000 ships remain stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran blocking passage for what it describes as “unfriendly” vessels, while the US continues restrictions on Iranian ports.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
