Florida Senator Rick Scott declared Saturday that the “days of the evil Iranian regime” are over, as a massive U.S. and Israeli military offensive—”Operation Epic Fury”—slammed into the heart of Tehran.
The daylight strikes, which targeted areas near Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s offices, have sent shockwaves through the Middle East and triggered a state of high alert across the globe.
“The days of the evil Iranian regime chanting ‘Death to America,’ threatening the very existence of our country and our allies, and oppressing its people are over,” Scott wrote on X.
The Senator praised the “strong leadership” of President Donald J. Trump and the Department of War, framing the military action as “peace through strength on full display.” Scott added that the operation serves as a definitive reminder that the United States will “always put America First” and will never permit Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.
The strikes came just before a video address by President Trump, who confirmed that the U.S. military has officially moved into “major combat operations” against the Iranian government.
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Describing the mission as a “noble” effort to protect the American homeland, Trump listed decades of grievances—from the 1979 embassy hostage crisis to the 10/7 attacks on Israel—as justification for the assault. He claimed the objective is to “raze the missile industry to the ground” and “annihilate” the Iranian Navy.
In Tehran, the situation remains fluid and chaotic. Powerful explosions were reported near Mehrabad Airport and the Vanak district, shattering windows and sending plumes of dark smoke over the city’s downtown.
Supreme Leader Khamenei, who is 86, has not been seen in public for several days, and it remains unknown if he was present during the strikes. In response to the escalating violence, Iraq has completely closed its airspace, and Israeli hospitals have moved critical departments into underground bunkers to prepare for potential retaliation.
President Trump also directed a message to the Iranian military and police, offering them a choice: “Lay down your weapons and have complete immunity or, in the alternative, face certain death.” He urged the Iranian people to stay indoors while the “bombs are dropping,” telling them that once the military finishes its work, the government will be “yours to take.”
As “Operation Epic Fury” continues, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has warned all American citizens in the region to remain near bomb shelters. The administration maintains that these strikes are a preemptive necessity to stop the regime from using long-range missiles against the U.S. and its allies.
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