Israeli defense officials urge more strikes on Iran as US declares 'Operation Epic Fury' over

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday evening officially declared “Operation Epic Fury” against the Iranian regime has concluded, saying, “We achieved the objectives of that operation.”

The statement came as a surprise to some in the United States and Israel and may be linked to efforts by Democratic and Republican critics of the military campaign to trigger a confrontation over presidential war powers.

In the Israeli defense establishment, Rubio's statement and the next steps by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump are being closely monitored, as defense officials assess the need for further military action. 

According to an Army Radio report on Wednesday morning, the defense establishment is pushing for a renewal of military operations against Iran. They reportedly argue that continued strikes could increase pressure on Tehran and make it more flexible in negotiations, while also preventing its efforts to rebuild its military capabilities in preparation for a potential future escalation.

Senior officials told Army Radio that several significant targets that Israel wished to strike were left untouched in the last campaign, including energy and oil facilities critical to the military infrastructure. They believe that Iran’s current intransigence in the negotiations provides an opportunity to achieve those objectives. 

“There is the potential that this will make the Iranians more flexible, but this cannot be guaranteed,” one of the senior officials said. “If we renew the war against them, it will weaken them even more and push them into a corner, but it will not necessarily make them surrender and agree to all the demands in the negotiations.” 

However, defense officials said that at present, the U.S. should be allowed to lead efforts to reach an acceptable deal, stressing that Israel has no plans to conduct independent military operations unless attacked by Iran.

During the press conference on Tuesday evening, as Secretary Rubio declared Operation Epic Fury concluded, he added that the U.S. is not seeking a reason to resume military strikes, saying, “We’re not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace.”

.@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 also acknowledged that a negotiated deal is “so far, not the route that Iran has chosen.” 

Shortly after Rubio’s press briefing, President Trump surprised many by announcing the suspension of the operation launched just one day before to assist vessels leaving the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump wrote, “Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.” 

Trump did not clarify how the operation to free the trapped vessels would harm talks with Iran, but the announcement came after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have fired on U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. 

In his press conference, Rubio spoke of nearly 23,000 stranded sailors, unable to return home due to Iran’s threats to fire on naval traffic through the strait.

🇺🇸 RUBIO:
“The goal of it is to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries that are trapped inside the Gulf, and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by the Iranian regime. For more than two months now, these innocent sailors have been stranded.” https://t.co/nf9rGptMD1 pic.twitter.com/TVUZRDD2iY

— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) May 5, 2026

“As you know, over the weekend, the President announced this Project Freedom, and the goal of it is to – frankly, if you want to talk about it – it’s to rescue like almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries that are trapped inside of the Gulf and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by this Iranian regime,” Rubio said. 

“For more than two months now, these innocent sailors and commercial crew members have been stranded out at sea because Iran is conducting something – and it’s not just criminal – it’s criminal for sure, but it’s desperate and destructive, this blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.” 

Rubio described Iran’s actions, which included demands for payments of up to $2 million per vessel for safe-passage guarantees, as piracy.

“They’re at the mercy of this piracy – it’s what it is. It’s piracy,” Rubio stated. 

The secretary also said that current talks with Iranian officials are about a general framework for further discussion, not a final agreement. 

“So that’s the process we’re engaged in now to create – that’s the object of this diplomacy, is to come up with some level of understanding about what are the topics that they’ve agreed to negotiate on,” Rubio explained.

“We don’t have to have the actual agreement written out in one day.  This is highly complex and highly technical.  But we have to have a diplomatic solution that is very clear about the topics that they are willing to negotiate on and the extent and the concessions they are willing to make at the front end in order to make those talks worthwhile.”