Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has urged the Trump administration to "take care" of Iran for good, stating that the Operation Epic Fury is an attempt to "neuter" Iran's military power both inside and beyond its borders, including its apparent ties to Hezbollah. Rice, who served as national security advisor and secretary of state under former President George W. Bush during 9/11 and the Iraq War, highlighted Iran's expanding military capability through its reach to international terrorist groups and its ability to coordinate with proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. The coordinated strikes with Israel follow failed diplomatic efforts to negotiate Iran's nuclear program.