Rubio ends Iran strike operation, shifts U.S. to Hormuz defense

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. strike operation against Iran had ended and that Washington was moving into a defensive posture centered on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a large share of the world’s energy and trade. He said U.S. forces would now focus on helping reopen and protect shipping, and would only shoot down drones and missiles if American forces were attacked.

The operation, known as Epic Fury, began on Feb. 28, 2026, under direct orders from President Donald Trump, according to the U.S. Department of War. Rubio said on Tuesday that the combat phase was over and that the operation’s objectives had been achieved. He said the United States was not looking for a wider fight, while also warning Iran’s leaders not to test Trump.

In March, Rubio had said the campaign was aimed at eliminating Iran’s short-range ballistic-missile threat and reducing the danger posed by Iran’s navy to U.S. naval assets. The U.S. Department of State described the mission in similar terms, saying the United States was conducting an operation to eliminate the threat of Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles and the threat posed by its navy. Rubio also said the president had notified Congress that offensive operations were complete.

The shift comes after a fragile ceasefire and a stretch of heightened tension around the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks on ships and fears of disruption have raised alarms far beyond Washington. Any prolonged interference in the strait could ripple through global energy prices and supply chains, making the U.S. move from offense to defense as much an economic security decision as a military one.

Rubio also said the United States was ready to meet with Iran after the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, even as he urged Tehran to negotiate. That combination of readiness for talks and renewed military vigilance leaves the administration trying to show that the operation’s declared goals were met without opening a broader war. The deeper test now is whether the end of offensive strikes marks a real strategic reset, or only a new label for continued U.S. involvement in a region where the next crisis can still begin in the Strait of Hormuz.