US Secretary of State Marco Rubio States 'Operation Epic Fury' Against Iran Concluded

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday that the US-Israeli attack on Iran, 'Operation Epic Fury,' has concluded. His statement indicated that the operation, which began on February 28 and led to regional conflict, has ended as its objectives have been met. Rubio stated that Washington now desires peace.

On the same day, US President Donald Trump announced the suspension of 'Project Freedom,' a military operation initiated just the day before to safely extract ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

So, has the US-Israel war on Iran ended?

• What does Rubio say about 'Operation Epic Fury'?

Rubio informed the press at a White House conference on Tuesday that Operation Epic Fury has concluded. 'Operation Epic Fury has ended, we have achieved the objectives of this operation,' Rubio said. Hinting at Pakistan's efforts to facilitate direct talks between Iran and the US, he added, 'We do not want any new situation to arise, rather we want to choose the path of peace. The President also desires a settlement.'

The first round of talks held in Islamabad last month concluded without a resolution. Since then, both sides have presented new proposals.

'The sudden withdrawal by Trump from the intermittent talks with Iran and 'Project Freedom' to extract ships from the Strait of Hormuz has caused unnecessary turmoil in the Gulf region,' said Burcu Ozcelik, a senior researcher on West Asia security at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based think tank, to Al Jazeera. 'This also reflects the highly tense and hasty diplomatic initiative aimed at securing a major deal from Tehran on the nuclear issue. This will compel Iran to make greater commitments than previous conditions. Consequently, the US will agree to lift the blockade on Iranian ports and ease sanctions, effectively ending the war,' she added.

According to Ozcelik, Iran wants to ensure this is a complete end to the war, not just a pause.

• What did Trump say about 'Project Freedom'?

On the same day, Trump informed reporters that Project Freedom was suspended at the request of Pakistan and other countries. He stated that this step was also taken due to significant progress towards a full and final agreement with Iranian representatives.

Trump had announced the operation, Project Freedom, just the day before, aimed at safely extracting ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. This strategic waterway, through which 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) is supplied, was closed by Iran, and the US operation was seen as a direct challenge to this blockade.

Since the US-Israeli attack on Iran began, Iran had threatened to attack ships in the waterway and imposed a blockade. Following this, the tension around the waterway escalated further when the US announced a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

After Trump announced Project Freedom, Iran warned that ships attempting to use the waterway without the permission of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would be fired upon. This raised fears of renewed conflict.

Following Trump's announcement, a war of words began between the US and Iran, with claims and counterclaims of attacks occurring throughout the day. Initially, Iran's Fars Agency claimed a drone attack on a US warship for disobeying orders to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz. However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) denied any attack on US ships, instead claiming to have sunk at least six IRGC vessels, which Iran denied. Tehran then published a new map extending its control area over the waterway to the UAE's waters, increasing fears of a new regional conflict.

The UAE accused Iran of attacking its Fujairah port, which has a significant oil pipeline, causing a fire at its oil processing plant.

According to Trump, the US military operation was halted on Tuesday.

'We have both agreed to suspend Project Freedom for a period to see if a deal can be finalized and signed, even though the US blockade remains fully in effect,' he wrote on his social platform Truth Social.

Iran has not yet responded to this development.

Shahram Akbarzadeh, a professor of West and Central Asian politics at Deakin University in Australia, told Al Jazeera that it is difficult to ascertain why Trump halted Project Freedom, but the move comes against a backdrop of growing anti-war sentiment in the US. 'Furthermore, Trump may be losing patience with the war. Although he claims to have the time to prolong it,' Akbarzadeh said. 'But in reality, Trump cannot focus on one issue for too long and needs to achieve a quick victory. Suspending Project Freedom helps to accelerate diplomatic efforts, bringing the US and Iran closer to a settlement. Trump will present that settlement as his victory,' he added.

• Has the war on Iran truly ended?

Not entirely. Akbarzadeh believes that suspending Project Freedom could be the beginning of the end of the war. 'We know the Iranians are eager to end this, so if Trump gives a clear signal that the path of diplomacy is open, the likelihood of Iran attacking US naval forces again is very low,' he said. 'But the problem is that we have seen this situation before. Previous opportunities were lost due to Israel's insistence that the US could secure a better deal, or because Trump misjudged the situation and expected military options to benefit him more,' he added.

• What happens now?

It is difficult to predict. However, since both sides appear unwilling to return to full-scale war, they are likely to prioritize a diplomatic solution, according to Akbarzadeh. 'However, both sides do not want to appear defeated. They feel they must maintain their public image before their domestic audiences. This complicates negotiations and hinders reaching an agreement,' he said.

What happens next depends on how Tehran's divided leadership commits to the nuclear issue, according to Ozcelik. 'Iran has denied that its nuclear program is included in the talks. But this kind of presentation is only intended to appease domestic hardliners and nationalists who are panicked by the US-Israeli attack and view the nuclear issue from the perspective of national and sovereign rights,' she said. She speculated that the United Nations might formally condemn Iran for unilaterally blockading the Strait of Hormuz. 'But the real pressure that is increasing daily is economic pressure. The closure of the waterway is severely impacting Iran's prospects for economic recovery,' she said. 'Despite rhetoric of steadfastness and survival, the rest of the Iranian leadership is undoubtedly concerned about the economic and physical costs of war. The possibility of further military strikes on Iran's critical infrastructure and the resulting instability could ultimately force Tehran to agree to a settlement,' Ozcelik concluded.

Al Jazeera