On the night of February 23, US President Donald Trump received an urgent call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while preparing for a joint address to Congress. Netanyahu informed Trump that key Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would gather at a specific location in Tehran the following morning, presenting a significant opportunity for a strike. After verifying the intelligence through the CIA, Trump approved a large-scale operation against Iran, dubbed 'Epic Fury,' to commence on February 28.

The plan had initially aimed for a late March or early April execution, but the new information prompted an expedited timeline. Discussions of military action against Iran had already begun secretly in December the previous year, with Netanyahu persistently pressuring Trump. Despite internal opposition in the US regarding military engagement with Iran, Netanyahu continued to emphasize the necessity of an attack, leading to speculation about the sidelining of Vice President J.D. Vance, who had expressed skepticism about military actions.

Initially, the Trump administration had not entirely abandoned diplomatic solutions, as negotiations over Iran's nuclear program were ongoing. However, a breakfast meeting at the White House on February 11 proved to be a decisive moment that shifted the administration's focus towards military intervention. Netanyahu's influence and the evolving security dynamics in the region appear to have played a critical role in shaping the US's response to Iran at this juncture.