Washington: US President Donald Trump will use his national address to provide an operational update on “Operation Epic Fury,” which is “meeting or exceeding all of its benchmarks,” a White House official told IANS, as Washington signals steady progress toward its core military objectives in the conflict with Iran.
The White House said Trump’s address, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (Thursday morning 6.30 a.m. local India time), will outline progress in a campaign that has now entered its second month, alongside an update on the administration’s next steps.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the address, saying: “TUNE IN: T… President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran.”
In his address, Trump is expected to highlight that the US military has achieved or is on track to achieve all major objectives laid out at the start of the operation, a White House official told IANS.
These include destroying Iran’s ballistic missile systems and production facilities, “annihilating” its navy, weakening its network of regional proxies, and ensuring Tehran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.
The official added that Trump will reiterate a two-to-three week timeline for concluding the operation, a timeframe he outlined in remarks a day earlier, signalling a push toward a defined end-state.
The announcement comes amid intensifying military operations and growing scrutiny over the scope of US involvement, including whether Washington could expand its footprint on the ground.
In earlier remarks on the campaign, Trump had said: “Our objectives are clear. First, we’re destroying Iran’s missile capabilities… Second, we’re annihilating their navy… Third, we’re ensuring that the world’s number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon…”
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has echoed that position, stating: “The mission is laser-focused: obliterate Iran’s missiles and drones and facilities that produce them, annihilate its navy… and sever their pathway to nuclear weapons.”
The US-Israeli campaign has expanded in recent days, with strikes targeting key Iranian infrastructure, including nuclear-linked facilities.
On Tuesday, the US struck an Iranian city housing one of the country’s main nuclear sites. The Isfahan Nuclear Energy Center, considered central to Iran’s enrichment programme, had previously been targeted by US B-2 bombers and a submarine.
Analysts believe much of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile is likely stored at that location, making it a focal point in Washington’s strategy to neutralise nuclear risks.
At the same time, reports suggest the administration has examined options for deploying US special operations forces inside Iran to secure enriched uranium. Such a mission, if approved, would expose American personnel to threats from Iranian missiles and drones deep inside Iranian territory.
Tehran has maintained that no direct talks are underway. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said: “We have had no negotiations with America in these thirty-one days,” adding that proposals have been conveyed through intermediaries, including Pakistan.
(IANS)
