Pentagon considering renaming Iran war ‘Sledgehammer’ if ceasefire collapses

The U.S. military is considering officially re-naming the war with Iran to “Operation Sledgehammer” if the current ceasefire collapses

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military is considering officially renaming the war with Iran “Operation Sledgehammer” if the current ceasefire collapses and President Donald Trump decides to re-start major combat operations, according to two U.S. officials.

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The discussions about possibly replacing “Operation Epic Fury” with “Operation Sledgehammer” underscore how seriously the administration is considering resuming the war started on Feb. 28, and could allow Trump to argue that it restarts the 60-day clock that requires congressional authorization for war.

The Trump administration declared an end to Operation Epic Fury after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in early April to pursue diplomatic negotiations. At the time, the administration informed Congress that hostilities with Iran had terminated. But the Pentagon has continued to describe the conflict with Iran as Operation Epic Fury, including when providing public updates. One Pentagon official said that Epic Fury continues and that the ceasefire simply has paused major combat operations.