Update March 5, 2026, 5:15 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional reporting about Operation Epic Fury and new Megyn Kelly Show coverage ; Originally published March 2, 2026 at 5:10p.m.
Overnight Friday, the United States, working in coordination with Israel, launched a sweeping military operation targeting Iran’s regime leadership and military infrastructure in what officials are calling “Operation Epic Fury.”
In a video posted to social media Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump said “hundreds of targets” were hit in Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities, Iranian air defense systems, and naval ships. He also confirmed the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran since 1989.
In addition to Khamenei, Israeli strikes took out more than 40 top Iranian regime and security officials in the first wave of the attack. Some of those officials reportedly include head of National Defense Council Ali Shamkhani and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.
The Operation
As reported on Monday’s AM Update, four American B-2 bombers dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bombs on Iranian ballistic missile facilities while U.S. naval forces struck additional targets at sea. The U.S. military carried out 900 strikes in the first 12 hours of the operation alone.
Iran responded, launching strikes against Israel and U.S. targets in neighboring states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. military operations across the Middle East, reported U.S. forces defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks leading to minimal damage. However, the Pentagon confirmed six U.S. service members have been killed since the operation began.
Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; and Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, died when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
The military campaign followed weeks of escalating tension as the United States surged military assets into the region, including two aircraft carriers, while U.S. and Iranian officials pursued nuclear negotiations. Reuters reported last week that the latest round of talks ended with “no deal but potential signs of progress.”
While the timeline has varied slightly across the president’s interviews, he indicated Operation Epic Fury will be a four to five week process. On Monday, he did not rule out using ground troops if needed. “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground,” the president told The New York Post. “Like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it. I say ‘probably don’t need them,’ or ‘if they were necessary.’”
The Analysis
On Monday’s show, Megyn laid out why she is skeptical of President Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran. Throughout the week, she was joined by guests, including former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, UnHerd editor Sohrab Ahmari, National Review’s Rich Lowry and Charles C.W. Cooke, Blackwater founder Erik Prince, retired U.S. Marine Mark Geist, System Update host Glenn Greenwald, and After Party host Emily Jashinsky, to talk through all sides and angles. Keep scrolling for complete coverage and analysis.
Why Parts of MAGA Feel Abandoned
[March 2, 2026] Megyn and Greene discuss pro-war propaganda being pushed out on social media and throughout the establishment press as the U.S. begins war with Iran, whether this foreign policy action is an abandonment of MAGA principles, the reality of America First, and more.
The Case for Trump’s War with Iran
[March 2, 2026] Lowry and Cooke joined to discuss the global celebrations after the toppling of the Ayatollah, the case for the war as beneficial to America and the world, the need for more information and explanation from Trump and his administration about why he is taking this action, and more.
Why Now Was the Right Time
[March 3, 2026] Geist explains why he believes it was important for the Trump administration to take preemptive action in striking Iran, what might happen if the U.S. doesn’t act now, and more.
Diverging Opinions
[March 2, 2026] Ahmari joins Megyn to share why he opposes U.S. military intervention in Iran, America’s recent history of failed Middle East regime change wars, the cheerleading of the war on Fox News, and more.
Israel’s Role in Getting the U.S. Involved
[March 3, 2026] Megyn and Prince talk about the reality of the munitions challenges the United States is facing, Israel’s involvement in getting the U.S. involved in the Iran attack, what the best course of action now is, and more.
The Truth About Whether We’re Really at ‘War’
[March 4, 2026] Greenwald joins Megyn to discuss the latest messaging from the Trump administration about the strikes in Iran, the questions about whether it’s actually a “war,” Israel’s involvement in driving this conflict, and more.
The Potential for ‘Boots on the Ground’ in Iran
[March 2, 2026] Megyn and Ahmari discuss what would happen if Trump declared victory and ended the military action in Iran, the potential for American “boots on the ground,” and more.
The Political Ramifications for the Trump Administration
[March 2, 2026] Megyn, Lowry, and Cooke consider the political ramifications of the action in Iran as the midterms approach, the impact this will have on China and Russia, and more.
Confusion Over the Goal
[March 3, 2026] Megyn and Erik Prince react to polling that shows the American people unclear about the goal of the Iran war, the incredible difficulties the U.S. will face in fighting the Iranian regime, and more.
How Long Conflict Could Last
[March 5, 2026] Megyn and Emily Jashinsky discuss new reporting that the war in Iran could last through September, the American public’s appetite for another lengthy foreign war, and more.
You can check out Megyn’s full coverage on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Channel (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.