U.S.-Israel Campaign Degrades Iran's Military

The United States and Israel have conducted a systematic military campaign against Iran, significantly degrading its ballistic missile arsenal, nuclear infrastructure, and air defenses since late February 2026. This operation, dubbed "Epic Fury," has reduced Iranian missile launches by over 90% and drone launches from more than 800 to approximately 75 within two weeks, according to publicly available data.

The campaign unfolded in two distinct phases. The initial phase focused on suppressing Iran's air defenses, disrupting its command and control, and dismantling missile and drone launch infrastructure.

By March 2, U.S. Central Command reported achieving air superiority over western Iran and Tehran without confirmed losses of American or Israeli combat aircraft.

Background

The subsequent phase targets Iran's defense industrial base, including missile production facilities, dual-use research centers, and underground storage sites, aiming to prevent reconstitution of destroyed capabilities.

This military action has also impacted Iran's nuclear program. Before the June strikes, U.S.

intelligence assessed Iran was weeks away from enriching enough uranium for a nuclear bomb, possessing 440kg of 60% enriched uranium. The current campaign has damaged the Natanz nuclear facility and rendered the Fordow facility inoperable, while systematically targeting industrial facilities crucial for reconstituting enrichment capacity.

Key Developments

The strategic objective is to dismantle Iran's capacity to project power and prevent its progression towards nuclear weaponization.