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US Airmen Endure Heavy Threats During Operation Epic Fury
(MENAFN) US Air Force personnel supporting Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East encountered 1,200 “Alarm Red” alerts during Iranian missile and drone attacks, while also carrying out extensive runway repairs and unexploded ordnance operations under combat conditions, a senior US military official said Monday.
Gen. Ken Wilsbach, chief of staff of the Air Force, said the operation would likely be examined for its unprecedented scale, accuracy and speed. During more than 38 days of combat missions, forces involved in the campaign struck over 13,000 military targets as they conducted sustained operations across the region.
The campaign involved approximately 500 aircraft that carried out 10,000 sorties, maintaining a daily operational pace of more than 250 flights. At the same time, personnel were required to respond to damage at military installations, completing 48 runway repairs while operating under continuing threats.
Airmen also conducted more than 400 unexploded ordnance sweeps, including more than 420 reportable ordnance disposal missions carried out in combat conditions. The extensive clearance work was intended to address hazards left by attacks and help maintain the operational capability of affected facilities.
The missions took place during the Iran war, which began Feb. 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes targeting Iranian leadership and infrastructure. Although the campaign significantly affected Iranian military positions, US facilities across the Gulf and Jordan subsequently faced retaliatory missile and drone attacks.
Those attacks placed additional pressure on American defensive capabilities, heavily reducing stocks of missile interceptors while also causing operational damage at several bases. The continuing conflict has resulted in 18 US service members being killed and 824 wounded since February 2026.
Washington has formally distinguished Operation Epic Fury from the broader hostilities with Iran, while US forces have continued conducting military strikes and maritime missions under separate designations, including Project Freedom and Overseas Operations.
As the threat environment continues to evolve, Wilsbach also announced the creation of the Point Defense Weapon System. The initiative is designed to combine kinetic and directed-energy capabilities to strengthen protection around military bases, alongside the establishment of a specialized career field focused on point-defense operations.
Gen. Ken Wilsbach, chief of staff of the Air Force, said the operation would likely be examined for its unprecedented scale, accuracy and speed. During more than 38 days of combat missions, forces involved in the campaign struck over 13,000 military targets as they conducted sustained operations across the region.
The campaign involved approximately 500 aircraft that carried out 10,000 sorties, maintaining a daily operational pace of more than 250 flights. At the same time, personnel were required to respond to damage at military installations, completing 48 runway repairs while operating under continuing threats.
Airmen also conducted more than 400 unexploded ordnance sweeps, including more than 420 reportable ordnance disposal missions carried out in combat conditions. The extensive clearance work was intended to address hazards left by attacks and help maintain the operational capability of affected facilities.
The missions took place during the Iran war, which began Feb. 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes targeting Iranian leadership and infrastructure. Although the campaign significantly affected Iranian military positions, US facilities across the Gulf and Jordan subsequently faced retaliatory missile and drone attacks.
Those attacks placed additional pressure on American defensive capabilities, heavily reducing stocks of missile interceptors while also causing operational damage at several bases. The continuing conflict has resulted in 18 US service members being killed and 824 wounded since February 2026.
Washington has formally distinguished Operation Epic Fury from the broader hostilities with Iran, while US forces have continued conducting military strikes and maritime missions under separate designations, including Project Freedom and Overseas Operations.
As the threat environment continues to evolve, Wilsbach also announced the creation of the Point Defense Weapon System. The initiative is designed to combine kinetic and directed-energy capabilities to strengthen protection around military bases, alongside the establishment of a specialized career field focused on point-defense operations.
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