Pentagon Told Military Personnel to Stop Using ‘Operation Epic Fury’ for Iran Conflict

The Pentagon declared “Operation Epic Fury” over on May 5, but the United States and Iran have continued exchanging fire on and off. Three months later, an Air Force email instructed military personnel to stop using the operation’s name for the conflict.

The Aug. 7 guidance, obtained by CBS News, told senior Air Force leaders and public affairs officials to use broader language instead: “overseas operations in the [U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility].” The instruction circulated as senior Air Force leaders traveled to Orlando, Florida, for the 2026 Air Force Sergeants Association event.

“

The operation is over. Epic Fury is, the president notified Congress, we're done with that stage of it. We're now on to this Project Freedom.

The Pentagon said the operation officially ended on May 5, the same day Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the White House, “The operation is over. Epic Fury is, the president notified Congress, we're done with that stage of it. We're now on to this Project Freedom.” Four days earlier, President Donald Trump had told Congress that the “hostilities” had “terminated.”

The timing has prompted questions about how the Pentagon classifies service members killed or wounded after the formal end date, and why guidance on terminology for continuing military activity arrived months later. Anonymous U.S. military officials told CBS News that the instruction was not limited to the Air Force and had been distributed throughout the Defense Department. A department official said subsequent activity included freedom of navigation operations and strikes intended to reduce threats from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping, Gulf countries and U.S. forces. The official also said U.S. Central Command had to approve public information about the conflict.

“

terminated