US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said on March 2 that Israel was prepared to strike Iran on its own, without American support, and that this is what forced President Donald Trump's administration to make the “difficult” decision about the operation.
Johnson told reporters after Secretary of State Marco Rubio's closed briefing for Congressional leaders, a correspondent for Suspilny reports.
According to Johnson, Israel viewed Iran's missile program as an existential threat and was “determined to act in its own defense, with or without American support.” Iran was ramping up missile production at a pace that U.S. allies in the region could not keep up with.
The Trump administration, according to the speaker, was faced with a difficult choice: if Israel attacks Iran on its own, Tehran will immediately strike American military personnel, facilities and citizens in the region. Intelligence confirmed this scenario. Johnson said that inaction would have devastating consequences. Earlier, Secretary of State Rubio commented in a similar way on the situation with strikes on American facilities.
Johnson outlined two main objectives of Operation Epic Fury: destroying Iran's short- and medium-range missiles, along with their production facilities, and eliminating Iran's naval capabilities. The speaker stressed that the goal was not regime change.
When asked by reporters about the need for congressional authorization, Johnson referred to his experience as a constitutional lawyer. He called himself a “zealous guardian of the first article” of the U.S. Constitution, which defines the powers of the legislative branch, but said the president had acted within his authority.
The speaker said the operation was not a declaration of war but was defensive in nature and had been in practice “for many decades”. Johnson stressed that the commander-in-chief must have the freedom to act because he is faced with “sensitive, timely and urgent issues” and must be able to act immediately.
Johnson also explained why Congress was not informed more widely before the operation began: there was a risk of leaking sensitive intelligence if a larger group than the Gang of Eight received the briefing.
The speaker opposed the vote on the war powers resolution, calling it a dangerous attempt to take away the president's “opportunity to finish his job.” He said he was confident there would be enough votes to defeat it.
Israeli and US military operation against Iran
On February 28, Israel attacked the Iranian capital, Tehran. US President Donald Trump later said that the US military had launched a “major combat operation” against Iran to “eliminate the imminent threat posed by the Iranian regime”. He accused the Iranian regime of “funding and training” militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Hamas in Palestine. According to him, the aim of the military operation was to “destroy Iran's missile industry and navy” and “ensure that it cannot destabilise the world”.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missiles and drones towards Israel, and also attacked US military bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Amid the US military operation against Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris is calling for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
The European Union said it reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to ensuring regional security and stability” in the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was fair to give the Iranians a chance to get rid of “the terrorist regime and guarantee the security of all peoples who have suffered from attacks from Iran.”
On February 28, Trump tweeted that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was dead. The information was later confirmed by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
On March 1, the IRGC announced that it was launching “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic” against Israel and “American terrorist bases.” Trump called on the Iranian regime to abandon these plans and threatened to strike “a very strong blow” in response.