The United States has said its military campaign “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran has concluded, with its top diplomat declaring that its stated objectives have been achieved.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the operation, launched jointly with Israel on February 28, had reached its intended outcomes, while emphasizing that Washington was not seeking further escalation.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Rubio said the operation “is concluded” and reiterated that the United States was not “cheering for an additional situation to occur,” adding that Washington preferred “the path of peace.”
He echoed President Donald Trump’s key demand that any peace deal with Iran must include Tehran’s abandonment of nuclear enrichment ambitions.
.@SecRubio: “Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. We’re not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What @POTUS would prefer is a deal… that is, so far, not the route that Iran has chosen.” pic.twitter.com/blkqn3Bqdm
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026
He stressed, however, that a durable de-escalation would require Iran to accept U.S. demands regarding its nuclear program and to restore normal maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio also argued that Iranian statements rejecting nuclear weapons ambitions were inconsistent with its technical and military activities.
He said Iran’s development of advanced centrifuge systems, uranium enrichment activities, and underground facilities contradicted its public commitments to a non-nuclear posture.
“Iran must make a choice between war and peace,” Rubio said, adding that any peaceful path would require what he described as a credible demonstration that Tehran would not pursue nuclear weapons capability.
On the ongoing maritime tensions, Rubio said U.S. efforts in the Strait of Hormuz were defensive in nature, despite recent clashes involving Iranian forces.
“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first,” Rubio said. “We’re not attacking them. We’re not. If they pose a threat to our forces, we’ll shoot down drones, we’ll shoot down missiles. But it’s defensive in nature.”
Iftikhar Ali is a veteran Pakistani journalist, former president of UN Correspondents Association, and a recipient of the Pride of Performance civil award
