Condoleezza Rice, the former U.S. Secretary of State, characterized the Trump administration’s Operation Epic Fury as a strategic effort to diminish Iran’s military influence both within its own borders and internationally, including its connections with Hezbollah.
During an appearance on “Special Report” on Wednesday, Rice commended the collaborative U.S.-Israeli military actions targeting Iran, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while clarifying that this operation does not signify the onset of a new war.
“Iran has been engaged in conflict with us for nearly 47 years,” Rice stated. “If you inquire about Iraq, many would estimate that as much as 75 to 80% of our casualties there were caused by Iranian-manufactured roadside bombs.”
Rice, who held the roles of national security advisor and secretary of state under former President George W. Bush during the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq War, noted that Iran has bolstered its military capabilities through alliances with international terrorist organizations.
“They have also developed the military means to project their power beyond Iran’s borders, notably through arming and equipping groups like Hezbollah and Hamas,” Rice remarked.
Operation Epic Fury, which involved over 50,000 troops, 200 fighter jets, and two aircraft carriers, has resulted in the deaths of six American service members and the destruction or sinking of 20 Iranian ships, as reported by CENTCOM.
The Trump administration’s coordinated strikes with Israel follow failed diplomatic efforts to negotiate Iran’s nuclear program, which Iran refused to abandon.
“To say that this regime was not a threat … it’s ahistorical,” Rice said. “They have been a threat for a long time.”
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One goal of Operation Epic Fury, she said, is to strip Iran of its military capabilities and ability to coordinate with proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
“If you can render Iran essentially incapable of military action against us and against our allies, that’s worthy,” Rice told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. “And I think what they’re trying to do is to neuter Iran as a military power in the region.”
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The former Bush cabinet member said Iran now faces a “complicated” future and urged the Trump administration to capitalize on what she described as a moment of vulnerability.
“They are essentially, at this moment, defenseless,” Rice asserted. “They won’t always be defenseless, and so the decision is to really, at this point, take care of it and render them incapable of those activities.”
