Iran Bombing Campaign:  Fool's Errand

United States military pilots are certainly not the fools.  But once again, they have been sent on a fool's errand.  And as Iran continues to maintain sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz with assistance from her ocelot, Oman, there are smaller nations now punching above their weight because of their ties to Iran.

I remain unconvinced that bombing alone, counts for a "war".  Albeit I am not sure which word in the dictionary is adequate as a substitution for our strategy drift with Tehran.  But possibly allocating this most recent bombing run as a "training exercise" is a sufficiently robust substitute. 

Drop a few payloads on selected targets. Bring our pilots safely home. Uncork the champagne.  But there will be no official ceremony to present a campaign medal, no stiff salute as a member of the military stands facing a superior to receive a ribbon.  The Pentagon has yet to create the usual cloth-beast which is a reflection for service which is above-and-beyond.  I find this all a bit of a curiosity; albeit understandable.  Six crew members who lost their lives in the KC-135 Stratotanker crash on 12 March 2026 received promotions and combat medals.  Their families, and especially the widows, will cherish these memories and the honor bestowed by the Pentagon. But it is hard to create a medal for "Epic Fury", which, at this point,  is moving along like a bicycle with training wheels.

https://www.centcom.mil/OPERATIONS-AND-EXERCISES/EPIC-FURY/videoid/319527/dvpmoduleid/41413/dvpTag/wardak/

Yet the inconvenient truth remains. Even as our bombing campaign is once again galvanized (because timing is also everything) as President Trump attends a NATO summit in Ankara, this action is really reduced to an inaction because nothing will change. Read my lips.  This changes nothing.

As I write this, the IRGC is targeting U.S. flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.  Minor vessel traffic is traveling through the U.S. alternative southern corridor.  But data from the Marine Traffic platform over the prior 48 hours shows the majority of ships are still transiting through the northern route which is supported by Tehran.  Iran has yet to show any arthritic movements in response to our bombing.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4

Our analytical miscalculations were many - when we embarked on "Operation Epic Fury".  And to reduce this to an effort to unseat the Grand Ayatollah and take custody of Iran's nuclear program shows our complete naivete regarding Iran and her history.

Grand Ayatollah Khamenei may be gone.  And his son's status is not fully known.  And although the Grand Ayatollah had the final word on any matter, we forgot that Iran has a constitution and the framework cannot be dismembered with a bombing campaign.  It is still intact and leadership will continue to be guided by the principles laid out in the document.

Iran recently appointed their judiciary chief to an additional five year term.  Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei is a hardliner.  Ejei is no dummy and holds a masters degree in international law.  But more importantly, his role is not reduced to decisions coming from the bench but he casts a long shadow over issues of national security and defense.  President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammed Ghlaibaf complete this powerful political trifecta. 

I personally hold to a belief that when Iran is tired of dangling the yarn in front of the cat they might use it to strangle the cat.  I doubt we have full knowledge of their capabilities. And it is possible that the restraint they have shown is strategic in nature, as they continue to court our Gulf State Allies.

If there is a combat medal for Operation Epic Fury - I suggest it be offered with the small disclaimer:

Oops!