Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is making it clear: the United States has a historic opportunity to finally neutralize one of the world’s most dangerous regimes — and the Donald Trump administration should make sure the job gets done.
Speaking on Fox News’ Special Report, Rice praised the ongoing U.S.–Israeli military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, which has already delivered a devastating blow to Tehran’s leadership. The operation reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and targeted key elements of the regime’s military infrastructure.
According to Rice, the mission isn’t about starting a new war — it’s about ending a long one.
“Iran has been at war with us for at least 47 years,” Rice explained. And she’s not exaggerating. Anyone who remembers the Iraq War knows exactly where many of the deadly roadside bombs came from. Rice noted that some estimates suggest as much as 75–80% of U.S. casualties in Iraq were caused by Iranian-made explosives. Not exactly the behavior of a peaceful neighbor.
Rice, who served as both national security advisor and secretary of state under George W. Bush, pointed out that Iran’s threat has never been limited to its own borders. The regime has spent decades arming and supporting terrorist proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas, extending its influence across the Middle East while pretending to play innocent on the world stage.
Operation Epic Fury is already proving to be a massive military effort. According to United States Central Command, the campaign has involved more than 50,000 U.S. troops, 200 fighter aircraft, and two aircraft carriers. So far, 20 Iranian ships have been struck or sunk, though the conflict has also cost the lives of six American service members.
The operation comes after years of failed diplomatic efforts to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions — efforts that Tehran repeatedly rejected. In other words, the regime had plenty of chances to choose a different path. It didn’t.
Rice believes the mission’s strategic objective is straightforward: remove Iran’s ability to wage war through its military and its network of proxy forces.
“If you can render Iran essentially incapable of military action against us and against our allies, that's worthy,” Rice said, explaining that the goal is to neuter Iran as a military power in the region.
In other words, the message from Rice is simple: after nearly five decades of aggression from Tehran, the United States finally has the chance to shut the regime down militarily. And if Operation Epic Fury continues delivering results like this, it may mark the moment when America stops reacting to Iran — and starts ending the threat for good.
