Iran Strikes Back! 500 Missiles Launched

(LibertySociety.com) – Trump’s Iran campaign has escalated into a sustained air war as America’s heaviest bombers—B-1s and B-52s—now strike deep targets once thought difficult to reach.

Story Snapshot

Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28, 2026, and expanded rapidly with B-1, B-2, and B-52 strikes confirmed by early March.
U.S. and Israeli forces report more than 2,000 targets hit with roughly 2,000 munitions in the first 100 hours of operations.
B-1 bombers reportedly flew non-stop from South Dakota with heavy tanker support, signaling long-range, sustained strike capacity.
U.S. commanders say local air superiority has been established, with Iranian air defenses reportedly degraded.
Iran has responded with large-scale missile and drone attacks, raising risks for allies, troops, and regional stability.

Operation Epic Fury: What the bomber deployments signal

Operation Epic Fury kicked off Feb. 28, 2026, and quickly moved beyond limited, symbolic strikes. Reports indicate B-1 missions struck by March 1–2, followed by B-52 operations by March 4, with B-2 strikes also confirmed during the opening week. The presence of all three strategic bomber types points to a campaign designed for endurance, not a one-night message—especially as targets include ballistic missile sites and command-and-control nodes.

Flight operations detail the scale. B-1 Lancers reportedly launched non-stop from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and required extensive aerial refueling, including support from multiple KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft. That kind of sortie profile matters because it demonstrates Washington can generate heavy strike power from the continental United States without relying entirely on in-theater bases. For Americans wary of open-ended foreign commitments, it also underscores the seriousness of the fight now underway.

Target sets: Missiles, air defenses, and naval assets

U.S. and Israeli reporting describes a broad target list: ballistic missile infrastructure, air defense networks, command-and-control facilities, and naval assets. In the first 100 hours, commanders say more than 2,000 targets were struck using roughly 2,000 munitions—an operational tempo portrayed as exceeding the opening phase of the 2003 Iraq invasion. Reported results include destruction of multiple Iranian naval vessels, including what was described as Tehran’s only operational submarine.

Command statements emphasize that air defenses have been neutralized enough to enable repeated, largely uncontested strike packages. Gen. Dan Caine has described the situation as the establishment of “local air superiority,” a term that typically indicates aircraft can operate effectively over specific areas without facing dense, coordinated surface-to-air threats. If accurate, that shifts the campaign from high-risk penetration missions toward sustained pressure on remaining missile storage, launch capacity, and hardened facilities.

New tools and old platforms: LUCAS drones and the enduring B-52

The campaign has also showcased a mix of innovation and legacy capability. Reporting indicates the first operational use against Iran of the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), described as drawing on design lessons from the Iranian Shahed-136. The central claim is cost-effective “massive effects” when employed at scale. At the same time, the B-52—first flown in 1952—has returned to frontline strike duty yet again, reinforcing why many Americans still favor proven deterrence over academic theories.

The bomber mix is not simply nostalgia for Cold War hardware. B-1s bring payload and speed; B-2s bring stealth for the toughest routes; and B-52s bring capacity, range, and persistence that planners can tailor to a long campaign. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has indicated B-1 use could expand for the remainder of the war, which, if implemented, would reinforce the impression that the administration is preparing for a multi-phase effort rather than a short burst.

What’s known—and what isn’t—about damage, retaliation, and risk

Iran’s response has been described as asymmetric and large in volume, including more than 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones launched against neighboring countries. That detail is crucial for understanding why U.S. force posture in the region remains heavy, including significant airpower and tens of thousands of troops. CENTCOM leadership has said Iranian retaliatory capability is “declining,” but public reporting still lacks independent, comprehensive assessments of losses on both sides.

🔥 BREAKING: 🇮🇷 🇺🇸 B-1, B-52 bombers join Trump’s war on Iran
📡 Defense One#Trump #Iran #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/Ehq55fl8k3

— Financewirehq (@financewirehq) March 5, 2026

Some key facts remain uncertain. Public summaries do not provide a full accounting of precise targets for specific B-1 missions, and satellite imagery can suggest damage without proving operational collapse of a network. Casualty figures and deeper battle-damage assessments are not independently verified in the material provided, and Iranian claims are largely absent from the cited reporting. Readers should separate confirmed deployment and strike activity from broader conclusions about end-state goals and timelines.