Marco Rubio Declares Offensive Phase of US War on Iran Over, Shifts to Defensive Posture

In a Tuesday press conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Operation Epic Fury—the offensive military campaign against Iran—has officially ended. "We achieved the objectives of that operation," Rubio asserted, framing the conflict’s next phase as strictly defensive.

"We are only responding if attacked first," Rubio said. "If no shots are fired at these ships and no shots are fired at us, we're not firing shots, but if we're fired on, we will respond." This marks a shift from proactive strikes to a posture focused on enforcing a blockade and protecting navigation in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio confirmed that the conflict has already taken a deadly toll on civilians, revealing that at least ten civilian sailors have died amid the ongoing hostilities. He described the affected sailors as "isolated, starving, and vulnerable," though he provided no further details on the circumstances of their deaths.

The US continues to pressure Tehran to "accept the reality of the situation," with diplomatic envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner actively pursuing a negotiated settlement. Rubio emphasized that any deal must address Iran’s nuclear ambitions, including hidden nuclear material "buried deep somewhere" that Iran could potentially access in the future.

"This is highly complex and highly technical," Rubio admitted, warning that progress will be slow and the final agreement will not be hammered out in a single day. He stressed the need for clarity on the scope of negotiations and the concessions Iran is willing to make to ensure talks are productive.

On a related front, Rubio also weighed in on ongoing peace talks between Israel and Lebanon. He called a peace deal "imminently achievable" but identified Hezbollah as the main obstacle. According to Rubio, Lebanon’s government must gain the capacity to dismantle the Iranian-backed militant group to secure lasting peace with Israel.

Rubio’s remarks come amid escalating tensions that many critics see as a deliberate attempt by the Trump administration to use foreign conflict as a distraction from domestic scandals and to consolidate power. The shift to defensive operations may signal a recalibration of US strategy, but the human cost and geopolitical risks remain alarmingly high.