Operation Epic Thunder: Righting 47 Years of Wrongs

Cleaning out a nest of killers

Operation Epic Thunder was initiated by American and Israeli forces against carefully selected targets in the Islamic Republican of Iran at 0815 local time on 28 February. An excellent summary with maps and pictures can be found here. An excerpt:

The strikes reportedly targeted facilities linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program and elements of its command-and-control network. Israeli officials framed the operation as pre-emptive, aimed at neutralizing what they described as imminent threats. Washington characterized its role as part of a coordinated effort to degrade offensive capabilities that could be used against regional allies and US forces….

From a military perspective, the targeting logic appears clear: degrade missile launch capacity, disrupt coordination nodes, and impose temporary paralysis on response chains. If successful, this would reduce the scale and precision of any immediate Iranian retaliation.

Apparently disregarding 47 years of murder carried out by the Iranian regime and its proxies around the world, top Democrats were quick to condemn the lightning strike that essentially decapitated the regime, including Supreme Ayatollah Khamenei and 39 senior leaders of the regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and intelligence services. According to the Post Millennial, “…Democrats have come out swinging against President Donald Trump, claiming that the move was something of an ‘illegal war of aggression’ as well as ‘illegal’ and ‘dangerous.’” Democrats quoted in the article include Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hakeem Jeffries, and Chuck Schumer.

The hypocritical Democrats once again forget the actions of past Democrat presidents in their faux outrage (which is entirely political, not rational). Republican Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee exposed their hypocrisy on NewsNation on Saturday night:

BURCHETT: “President Obama bombed 8 countries without Congressional approval.”

“So I think it’s a little disingenuous for the Democrats start saying this is unprecedented and you’ve got the most stable regime, outside of probably the Chinese, in the whole right now.”

“And they’ve killed Americans within recent memory.”

“Is this the revenge tour? Maybe be a little bit. But you poke the bear you get it.”

“Or you poke the bull, you get the horns and the horns.”

“And the horns right now are Donald J. Trump.”

“And he’s letting an enemy of this country know how we feel about them.”

Exactly right! But it is even worse, as the Democrats conveniently forget the murders committed by the Iranian regime and its proxies of Americans and others since 1979. Let’s take a look at some of those as a reminder of the justice served by Operations Epic Thunder.

AMERICANS KILLED SINCE BY IRAN AND ITS PROXIES SINCE 1979

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies (such as Hezbollah and various Shiite militias) have been attributed responsibility for numerous attacks resulting in American deaths. These attributions come primarily from US government sources, court rulings, Pentagon reports, and analyses by think tanks and experts. No comprehensive official US government tally exists for all civilian and military deaths combined, but estimates focus on key events and periods, often exceeding 1,000 total American fatalities when including military personnel killed by Iranian-supplied weapons and proxies.

Key Events and Periods (1979–Present)

1979–1981 Iran Hostage Crisis: Iranian revolutionaries seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding 66 Americans hostage (52 for 444 days). No direct deaths occurred among the hostages during captivity, but a failed U.S. rescue attempt (Operation Eagle Claw) in 1980 killed 8 U.S. servicemen.

1983 Beirut Attacks (Lebanon): Iran-backed groups (early Hezbollah/Islamic Jihad) carried out bombings.

• April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing: 17 Americans killed (out of 63 total).

• October 1983 Marine barracks bombing: 241 U.S. service members killed (220 Marines, plus Navy and Army personnel).

1980s Lebanon Kidnappings and Killings: Hezbollah/Iran-linked groups kidnapped and murdered several Americans, including CIA station chief William Buckley (tortured and killed in 1985) and Marine Col. William Higgins (kidnapped 1988, killed 1989). Additional hijackings (e.g., 1984 Kuwait Airways) killed 2 American officials.

1996 Khobar Towers Bombing (Saudi Arabia): Iran-backed Hezbollah Al-Hejaz carried out a truck bombing at a U.S. Air Force housing complex, killing 19 U.S. service members.

2003–2011 Iraq War: Iran provided training, funding, and advanced weapons (notably explosively formed penetrators or EFPs, plus IEDs) to Shiite militias. The Pentagon has attributed at least 603–608 U.S. troop deaths to Iranian-backed groups (about 17% of U.S. fatalities in Iraq during this period). Some estimates reach higher (up to ~1,000+ including indirect support).

Afghanistan (2000s–2010s): Iran supplied weapons and support to Taliban insurgents (despite historical enmity), contributing to some U.S. deaths, though specific tallies are lower and less precisely attributed than in Iraq.

Recent Proxy Attacks (2019–Present): Iran-backed militias (e.g., Kataib Hezbollah) in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan conducted rocket, drone, and missile attacks on U.S. forces.

• 2020 Iranian ballistic missile strike on Ain al-Asad base (retaliation for Soleimani killing): No deaths, but over 100 U.S. troops suffered traumatic brain injuries.

• 2023 drone strike in Syria: 1 U.S. contractor killed, several troops wounded.

• Ongoing attacks caused injuries but limited additional fatalities reported in open sources up to early 2026.

Other Incidents: Iran-backed groups (e.g., Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad) killed dozens of American civilians in attacks in Israel (e.g., 1990s–2000s bombings, plus over 40 Americans killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack).

Overall Estimates

Reliable sources (e.g., Pentagon, Foundation for the Defense of Democracy – FDD, American Jewish Committee – AJC) indicate Iranian and proxy actions are responsible for well over 1,000 American deaths since 1979, predominantly military personnel in Beirut (258+ in 1983), Iraq (600+), and other proxy actions. This excludes non-lethal injuries (thousands, including from EFPs and recent attacks) and indirect contributions. U.S. courts have repeatedly held Iran liable (e.g., for Beirut and Khobar Towers), awarding compensation from frozen Iranian assets.

Note: These figures represent U.S. government and allied attributions; Iran has denied direct responsibility in many cases, often framing actions as resistance to U.S. presence in the region. Recent escalations (as of February 2026) involve direct U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, but those primarily caused Iranian casualties rather than additional American deaths.

Additional note: A key reference is the American Jewish Committee’s 2025 report entitled, “Iranian Regime’s War on America: Four Decades of Targeting U.S. Forces and Citizens.” This report details Iran’s decades-long campaign against the US, citing proxy attacks such as the 1983 Beirut bombings (258+ Americans killed), the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing (19 U.S. service members), hundreds killed by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq (2003–2011, with Pentagon attribution of at least 608 deaths), and recent incidents (e.g., 3 US soldiers killed in Jordan in 2024, plus over 40 Americans killed in the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack).

And then there is the fact that Iranian leaders and regime supporters in periodic mass demonstrations have chanted “Death to America” since 1979 while brainwashing and radicalizing two generations of Iranian youth against the US. Not to mention becoming the world’s leading exporter of terrorism.

Let’s now estimate how many people have been killed around the world by Iranian-backed terrorists since 1979.

WORLD CITIZENS KILLED BY IRAN AND ITS PROXIES SINCE 1979

Since the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution, Iran has backed several proxy groups—primarily Hezbollah (Lebanon), Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) (Palestinian territories), and the Houthis (Yemen)—through funding, training, weapons, and strategic guidance. These groups have conducted attacks, including terrorism, rocket barrages, bombings, and guerrilla warfare, resulting in significant global casualties (predominantly in the Middle East, but extending to Argentina, Europe, and elsewhere).

On 19 January 1984, the US State Dept officially declared Iran to be a state sponsor of terrorism – a designation that has been renewed through the present. Did those caterwauling Democrats “forget” that basic fact?

Casualty figures are estimates from sources like think tanks, governments, UN reports, and databases (e.g., Fondapol Islamist terrorism studies, ACLED, US State Department, and others); they include direct deaths from attacks but exclude indirect causes (e.g., famine in Yemen) unless noted. No single authoritative global tally exists due to attribution challenges, overlapping conflicts, and underreporting.

Hezbollah (Founded ~1982, Iran-backed from inception): Hezbollah has conducted high-profile bombings, kidnappings, rocket attacks, and guerrilla operations, primarily against Israel, the US, and others.

• Key attacks: 1983 Beirut bombings (US Embassy: 63 killed, including 17 Americans; Marine barracks: 241 US service members killed); 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing in Buenos Aires (29 killed); 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires (85 killed); various attacks in Lebanon, Europe, and elsewhere.

• Conflicts: 2006 Lebanon War (~1,100 Lebanese and 160+ Israelis killed); ongoing border clashes with Israel (hundreds killed since October 2023); internal Lebanese fighting.

• Total attributed deaths: Hezbollah-linked actions (1979–present) have caused thousands worldwide, with estimates from Fondapol databases placing Hezbollah responsible for ~1,100 deaths in 339 attacks (1983–2000 alone), plus higher figures from later wars and terrorism. Recent escalations (2023–2026) added hundreds more in Lebanon and Israel.

Hamas (Founded 1987) and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ, Founded ~1979–1981): Both groups focus on attacks against Israel (suicide bombings, rockets, shootings), with PIJ often coordinating with Hamas. Iran provides funding (~$100 million annually combined in recent years) and weapons.

• Key periods: Second Intifada (2000–2005: hundreds of Israeli deaths from bombings); multiple Gaza wars (2008–2021: thousands killed, mostly Palestinians in Israeli responses); October 7, 2023, attack (~1,200 killed in Israel, including foreigners; part of broader Gaza war with >75,000 total deaths reported by 2026, though most Palestinian).

• PIJ-specific: Numerous suicide bombings and rocket attacks (e.g., joint operations with Hamas killing dozens in Israel).

• Total attributed deaths: Hamas/PIJ actions have caused thousands of deaths (primarily Israelis and Palestinians in conflict zones). October 7 alone: 1,200+. Pre-2023 estimates from Israeli sources: hundreds of Israelis killed in attacks since the 1990s.

Houthis (Ansar Allah, Active since ~2004, Major escalation 2014–present): The Houthis have fought in Yemen’s civil war (Iran-supplied missiles/drones used against Saudi Arabia, UAE, shipping, and Israel).

• Key impacts: Yemen civil war (2014–present): UN estimates ~377,000 total deaths (direct + indirect, e.g., famine/disease) by 2021, with ongoing toll; Houthis responsible for portions via sieges, attacks on civilians, and cross-border strikes.

• Recent: Red Sea shipping attacks (2023–present: dozens of incidents, limited direct deaths but major disruptions); missile/drone strikes on Israel/Saudi Arabia (some fatalities).

• Total attributed deaths: Houthis directly caused tens of thousands in Yemen conflict (e.g., civilian targeting, blockades); broader war deaths exceed 150,000 from violence alone.

Overall Worldwide Estimate

No precise cumulative figure exists for deaths solely “caused by” these proxies (direct attacks vs. broader conflicts), but reliable sources indicate tens of thousands worldwide since 1979:

• Hezbollah: Thousands (Lebanon wars, international bombings).

• Hamas/PIJ: Thousands (Israeli-Palestinian violence, especially post-1987/2000s).

• Houthis: Tens of thousands in Yemen (direct + indirect war toll).

• Combined: Well over 50,000–100,000+ deaths attributed to actions by these groups (including victims in Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Argentina, U.S./Western targets, and cross-border strikes). Many victims are civilians (including Muslims in proxy-controlled areas); figures exclude deaths from opposing forces’ responses.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Operation Epic Thunder was a righteous attack on a murderous regime that has killed tens of thousands of people since taking power in Tehran in 1979. The attack was a down payment on that debt incurred by the mullahs and their supporters. Long overdue!

Iranians in the streets celebrated after the attack was conducted, as reported by The New York Post:

Celebrations erupted across Iran as citizens cheered the US and Israeli missile strikes targeting the regime, according to reports.

Iranians were seen dancing and chanting in the streets Saturday morning in video circulating online after “Operation Epic Fury,” which unleashed strikes targeting Iranian leadership.

“I love Trump!” one student shouted as smoke arose from a nearby building, according to a clip shared on X and reported by The Telegraph.

There are many similar reports, including the rejoicing of Iranian expats in various countries, e.g., in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, as noted here.

The Democrats’ reaction to Operation Epic Thunder has been shameful. But that is what we have come to expect and a reminder that they were serious when they refused to stand to honor Americans at numerous points during Tuesday’s State of the Union address.

Remember the fallen – murdered by Iranian thugs!

The end.