The US military campaign in Iran is unfolding without a coherent strategy, raising concerns in Washington about its direction and effectiveness. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who has attended closed-door briefings on the operation, argues that the United States is «failing badly» in the conflict.

Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the main objectives of the operation, dubbed Epic Rage. These include dismantling Iran’s air force and navy, significantly reducing its missile capabilities, and crippling its military-industrial base.

Murphy, however, sees these goals as a collection of isolated tactical tasks rather than parts of a unified strategy. Drawing on information from classified briefings, he suggested that the absence of a broader plan is at the heart of the problem and explains the lack of progress.

He also questioned whether some of these objectives are even achievable. In his view, targeting Iran’s air force may have limited impact, as drones are increasingly replacing traditional aircraft-and fully neutralizing unmanned systems is virtually impossible. He expressed similar skepticism about efforts against Iran’s navy, noting that control over the Strait of Hormuz depends less on large warships and more on swarms of fast boats and explosive-laden vessels.

On Iran’s missile program, Murphy pointed to the lack of tangible success in destroying existing stockpiles. Given that difficulty, he argued, eliminating the country’s capacity to produce missiles would be an even more challenging task.

The joint US-Israeli operation against Iran has now been underway for roughly a month, with both sides continuing to exchange strikes. The escalation has had broader consequences, effectively halting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz-a critical corridor for global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas from the Persian Gulf.