Recent U.S. intelligence reports have assessed that after nearly two weeks of Operation Epic Fury, Iran’s government leadership is not in danger of imminent collapse.
The evaluation comes after 12 days of regular military strikes by United States and Israeli forces, which led to the deaths of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his wife, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. Iran’s successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former ayatollah, was also injured in the strikes.
U.S. intelligence reports revealed “consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger” of impending collapse, according to an exclusive by Reuters. Iran’s regime “retains control of the Iranian public,” sources told the publication.
The intelligence assessment of the survival odds of the Iranian regime came “within the last few days,” Reuters reported.
Additionally, Israeli officials are uncertain that current military operations against Iran will result in the collapse of the Iranian clerical government, highlighting one of the main challenges of Operation Epic Fury. While expressing doubt that the current military strikes could lead to the regime’s demise, officials did not elaborate on the basis for their speculation. Moreover, they said the situation in Iran remained fluid and that “dynamics could change.”
The intelligence assessment came on the same day that President Donald Trump hailed Operation Epic Fury as a success and that “we’ve won” in Iran.
While speaking at a political event in Kentucky, Trump lauded the military operation, praising its name, and claimed it was going very well to the point that “in the first hour, it was over.”
“Is that a great name?” Trump said about the operation’s name to the Kentucky crowd. “Well, it’s only good if you win … and we’ve won. Let me say we’ve won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won. We won … in the first hour, it was over. We won.”
Trump’s comments in Kentucky would appear to contradict a social media post he made last week.
In a post on his Truth Social account on Friday, Trump mentioned that no deal would be made with Iran unless the country “surrendered.”
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“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” Trump asserted in his post. “After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”
Trump’s post came before the significant turbulence in the oil markets in recent days, with prices fluctuating between $85 and $120 per barrel. The quick changes in pricing have caused enormous stress on the global economy.