President Donald Trump launched the largest American military operation since the invasion of Iraq without making a public case to Congress or the country, as "Hvylya" reports, citing TIME's detailed account of the lead-up to Operation Epic Fury.
Trump briefed only a small circle of congressional leaders shortly before the operation began, leaving most lawmakers to learn of it after the fact. There had been little public debate beforehand about the possibility of war, including at his State of the Union address just days earlier. Trump launched the war before presenting any rationale to the American public.
In the aftermath, the administration offered unclear - and at times contradictory - explanations of the mission's objectives. Some officials framed the strike as a necessary act of pre-emption against an imminent threat. Others described it as a long-planned effort to cripple Iran's military leadership and force a broader political reckoning in Tehran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered yet another rationale: that Israel was preparing its own attack and Washington moved first to weaken Iran before it could retaliate against American targets.
Trump himself described the mission as preventative. "America First is really about keeping America healthy and well, and not having other countries, you know, hit us," he told TIME. "There are occasions when you have no choice. This was an occasion." His stated goals are sweeping: eliminating Iran's nuclear threat permanently, dismantling its ballistic-missile program, and installing a Western-friendly government.
The question of congressional authorization carries particular weight given the scale of the operation. American long-range missiles and drones moved in concert with Israeli jets, striking hundreds of Iranian military installations in one of the region's most expansive air operations in decades. Six American service members have already been killed in Iranian retaliation. Trump has not ruled out the possibility of sending ground forces, and has set no time limits on the campaign. "I want to get it done," he said.
Also read: "Too Late": Trump Shuts the Door on Iran Talks Just as Tehran Made a Secret Move