Washington, DC — House Speaker Mike Johnson has defended the United States’ decision to launch a major strike on Iran, insisting the operation was carried out to prevent what military leaders believed could have been catastrophic casualties for American forces across the region.
His comments were made during a press briefing at the US Capitol on Monday and were first reported by Fox News correspondent Greg Wehner.
The strike forms part of Operation Epic Fury, an ongoing US military campaign targeting Iranian missile infrastructure and strategic capabilities. The operation was carried out jointly with Israel, which had already determined it would act with or without US backing due to what it saw as an existential threat from Tehran.
Johnson: Preemptive Action Was Necessary to Protect US Forces
Johnson said US intelligence showed Iran was accelerating its production of short- and mid-range missiles at a rate that threatened to overwhelm American and allied defences.
He said Israel had already determined it would act with or without US backing due to what it saw as an existential threat, placing Washington in a position where delaying action risked igniting a wider conflict.
According to Johnson, Iran could hit multiple US installations simultaneously, including bases where American troops are stationed.
“If Iran had begun to fire all of their missile arsenal… we would have suffered staggering losses,” he said.
‘We Would Have Been Asked Why We Waited’
Johnson argued that if the administration had refused to act preemptively, Congress would have immediately questioned why the intelligence warnings were ignored.
He said senior military and intelligence officials outlined clear scenarios in which a delayed response would have resulted in exponentially higher casualties.
Johnson added that the administration’s decision was based on experience from past conflicts where reacting “after the first strike” proved far more dangerous than taking action once credible intelligence was confirmed.
Objective Was Not Regime Change, Johnson Says
The House Speaker dismissed speculation that the US strike was aimed at destabilising Iran’s leadership or shifting the balance of power in the country.
“The objective was not regime change,” he said. “The objective was to take out the short- and mid-range missiles, and the facilities producing them. That mission was achieved.”
His comments follow previous reporting indicating that Iran had expanded its missile manufacturing network and supplied technology to multiple regional proxies.
War Powers Vote Looms in Congress
Johnson also addressed the upcoming war powers vote expected in Congress later this week, describing it as a “dangerous gambit” by Democrats.
The resolution, if passed, would require the Trump administration to seek congressional approval before any further military action in Iran. It is widely expected to fall short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.
Johnson said the vote was politically motivated and would send the wrong signal to US adversaries at a critical moment in the operation.
Regional Pressures and Israel’s Position
Johnson said Israel’s determination to strike Iran placed additional pressure on US officials, who feared that any large-scale Iranian retaliation would immediately target American assets in the region.
Israel, he said, viewed the Iranian missile build-up as a direct threat to its survival — a position the US was forced to consider when assessing the scale of the unfolding crisis.
US intelligence, according to Fox News, believed Iran’s arsenal was large enough to launch a sustained campaign, potentially overwhelming air defences operated by both the US and its regional partners.
Operation Epic Fury Continues
The broader US military campaign remains active as commanders evaluate whether additional strikes are required to prevent Iran from restoring its missile-launch capabilities.
Johnson said military leaders will continue monitoring the situation and will advise the administration on whether further action is needed to prevent a resurgence of threats to US forces stationed in the Middle East.
Senior Iranian officials have already warned of retaliation, with Ali Larijani vowing that Iran’s response would target US military bases across the region.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more facts are confirmed.
