The United States is considering officially renaming the war with Iran to Operation "Sledgehammer" if the current ceasefire is violated and President Donald Trump decides to resume large-scale combat operations. This was reported by NBC News, citing two unnamed U.S. officials, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that the discussion regarding the possible replacement of "Operation Epic Fury" with "Operation Sledgehammer" underscores how seriously the Trump administration is considering the possibility of resuming the war started on February 28, and could allow Trump to claim that "it restarts the 60-day clock that requires Congressional authorization for war."
The Trump administration announced the end of Operation Epic Fury after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in early April to pursue diplomatic talks. At that time, the administration notified Congress of the cessation of hostilities with Iran. However, the Pentagon continued to refer to the conflict with Iran as Operation Epic Fury, including in public updates. One Pentagon official stated that "Epic Fury" is ongoing, and the ceasefire simply suspended large-scale combat operations
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The authors, citing an unnamed White House official, indicate that any new military combat operations against Iran would be conducted under a new name, which would "effectively restart the clock with Congress." At the same time, "Operation Sledgehammer" is not the only name being considered.
For Reference
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the U.S. President to notify Congress within 48 hours of the start of hostilities; otherwise, troops must be withdrawn within 60 days unless Congress authorizes the military action.
Offensive combat operations of "Epic Fury" were suspended after 40 days of fighting. The Trump administration argued that, given the pause, it had not reached the 60-day limit.
As a Reminder
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi suggested that the primary motive of the United States in the negotiations might not be peace, as "one cannot talk about a ceasefire while continuing the siege."
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Iran's response to the U.S. peace plan was a "stupid proposal" and "garbage," and that he "did not finish reading it."
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