Signs are mounting that the United States may be heading back to war with Iran, with the Pentagon quietly preparing to rename its military operation there as ceasefire negotiations appear on the verge of collapse.

According to a report Tuesday by NBC News, the Defense Department is considering rebranding the conflict from “Operation Epic Fury” to “Operation Sledgehammer,” though other names remain under consideration. Two U.S. officials told NBC News they anticipate the ceasefire collapsing, with the Pentagon’s rebranding effort reflecting that expectation.

The timing carries major legal implications. Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of initiating combat operations, triggering a 60-day clock to either withdraw forces or obtain congressional authorization. Operation Epic Fury was paused at the 40-day mark when Trump declared it concluded and both sides entered ceasefire talks. A new operation name could allow Trump to argue that the clock resets entirely, bypassing the need for congressional authorization under the existing timeline.

The legal maneuvering comes as Trump has grown increasingly combative in his public statements about the status of the ceasefire. He blasted Iran’s proposals as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” on Truth Social and told reporters the ceasefire was on “massive life support” after rejecting what he called a “garbage” deal from Tehran.

The picture is further complicated by conflicting signals from within the administration itself. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Operation Epic Fury was “over” and “concluded.” Yet NBC News found that the Pentagon has continued describing the conflict under that name in public updates, and one Pentagon official told the outlet that Epic Fury is ongoing and that the ceasefire has merely paused major combat operations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)