More than a month into Operation Epic Fury/ Operation Roaring Lion, the noise coming from pundits and analysts on both sides of the Atlantic would have you believe that U.S. President Donald Trump is improvising, confused, or losing control of the war. I have followed Trump closely for nearly a decade. Nothing could be further from the truth.
What we are witnessing is a masterclass in strategic ambiguity. Trump keeps all options open, applies pressure on multiple fronts simultaneously, and ensures the other side never knows what comes next. To the untrained eye, this looks like chaos. To anyone who understands how Trump negotiates and leads, it is deliberate, calculated, and effective
Look at what has happened on the ground. The Iranian regime - which once projected an image of invincibility across the Middle East - is now disoriented, its leadership decimated, its proxies weakened, and its population increasingly restless. When Iranian civilians took to the streets during a national holiday to celebrate rather than mourn, and the regime's forces fled when US aircraft appeared overhead, that was not a coincidence. That was the result of a sustained, coordinated campaign designed to hollow out the regime from within.
On the question of a ground operation: Americans are understandably wary after more than two decades of difficult experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Trump himself said from the outset that he does not want a large-scale ground invasion. But that does not mean he is without options. Thousands of US special forces are moving into position with a clear and limited mandate - securing the Strait of Hormuz, neutralizing key targets, and potentially controlling Iranian oil exports, including the strategically vital Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iran's energy shipments. The President will act when and how he decides. That is exactly as it should be.
On the domestic political front, the picture is more nuanced but ultimately favorable. Republican support for the mission remains overwhelming - approaching near-unanimity within the party. Overall, American public support has steadily improved since the start of the operation, and a growing majority now understands the severity of the Iranian threat. The hesitation that remains is not about the mission itself - it is about Trump personally. And that is a gap that will be closed on the ground.
The US-Israel coordination throughout this operation has been nothing short of historic. I have said this from the beginning, and the evidence continues to mount. Joint planning, synchronized strikes, coordinated messaging between Washington and Jerusalem - this is what a genuine strategic alliance looks like in practice. Those who spent weeks claiming the relationship was fractured, that Netanyahu and Trump were at odds, that the partnership was crumbling, have been proven comprehensively wrong.
Secretary of State Rubio put it plainly just this week: the Iranians are liars, and they intend to reach a nuclear weapon at any cost - even at the expense of their own people. Trump has known this from day one. His goal has never wavered: Iran will never be allowed to reach nuclear weapons capability. Not now, not ever. That red line is non-negotiable, and the operation will continue until it is secured.
Marc ZellIn a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump declared Tuesday to be "Power Plant Day and Bridge Day" in Iran, specifying the exact hour: 8:00 PM Eastern Time (Wednesday, 3:00 AM Israel time). Initial strikes on Kharg Island and bridges across Iran have already begun. True to form, Trump does not reveal exactly what comes next - he never does. He keeps the other side guessing until the last moment. But one thing is certain: whatever the next move is, the Islamist regime in Tehran will find it very, very painful.
The goal has not changed since day one: to create the conditions under which the Iranian people can take their destiny into their own hands. That moment is approaching - and in my assessment, it is not far off. The Iranian regime is not invincible. It is not even stable. And the President of the United States, together with the State of Israel, is making sure the world knows it.
The pundits can keep second-guessing. The strategy is working.
Marc Zell is Chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel and Vice President and General Counsel of Republicans Overseas, Inc. An American-Israeli attorney, he can be followed at @GOPIsrael on X