In the hours after the opening salvo of Operation Epic Fury, the Middle East felt like it was holding its breath. U.S. and Israeli officials hailed the strikes as a decisive blow against Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, insisting they had no choice but to act before “imminent threats” materialized. Footage of burning compounds and shattered air defense sites flooded screens, while Iranian state media vowed “devastating revenge” and claimed to have intercepted multiple missiles.

Behind the public statements, diplomats raced to keep the crisis from spiraling into a regional war. European governments called for restraint, Gulf states quietly raised alert levels, and global markets convulsed on fears of oil disruption. Ordinary families in Tehran, Tel Aviv, and beyond listened for sirens and checked their phones for news, wondering whether this was a single night of fire—or the opening chapter of something far worse.