2 hours ago
Last Updated:March 11, 2026, 16:49 IST
While officials called US-Israel’s war against Iran, within days of release of controversial information from Epstein files, over security concerns, many find the timing suspect
Late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein with US President Donald Trump.
Five days before the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran, the world was intrigued by files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released by the US Department of Justice.
While officials called US-Israel’s joint action against Iran, which came within days of the information tumbling out, a result of security concerns, many find the timing suspect.
News18 collates the timeline based on news reports in international media.
TIMING MATTERS
The US-Israel’s ‘Operation Epic Fury’ began on February 28.
February 24 NPR report alleged the Department of Justice (DOJ) had withheld documents from the Epstein files that specifically mentioned President Donald Trump.
Analytical data shows that since the war began, Google searches for “Epstein files" have plummeted, while interest in the Iran conflict has surged by over 1,200%.
WHAT ARE EPSTEIN FILES?
The ‘Epstein files’ refers to a massive collection of approximately six million pages of investigative documents, emails, flight logs, and media related to the sex-trafficking enterprise of financier Jeffrey Epstein. The files originate from multiple federal and state investigations into Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
On January 30, 2026, the DOJ releases its final major cache: 3 million additional pages, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images.
WHAT HAPPENED IN FEBRUARY?
United Kingdom: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is arrested on suspicion of sharing confidential state documents with Epstein. Peter Mandelson resigns from the Labour Party following reports he forwarded sensitive government info to Epstein, according to a BBC report.
Norway: Former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland is charged with aggravated corruption.
United Arab Emirates: The CEO of DP World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, is replaced after emails surfaced referencing a “torture video".
Hollywood: Marketing mogul Casey Wasserman sells his talent agency after flirtatious emails with Maxwell are revealed.
IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE WAR
February 23: Former British Ambassador Peter Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of sharing sensitive government documents with Epstein; he had previously resigned from the Labour Party and the House of Lords.
February 26: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified behind closed doors to the House Oversight Committee, denying she ever met Epstein.
February 26: Borge Brende, CEO of the World Economic Forum, resigned after files revealed business dinners with Epstein.
February 27: Former President Bill Clinton testified for over six hours, stating he neither saw nor did anything wrong during his interactions with Epstein. Reports surfaced of a 2019 FBI interview with an unidentified woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by Donald Trump and Epstein in the 1980s.
WAS THE WAR A DISTRACTION?
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie publicly questioned the timing, stating that “bombing a country on the other side of the globe won’t make the Epstein files go away".
Coinciding with the start of the war, the DOJ temporarily removed approximately 65,000 pages from the online Epstein database, citing a need for re-review after privacy concerns were raised.
Analysts have suggested that both President Trump and Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu may be seeking to boost record-low approval ratings through a major military conflict.
‘NOT DISTRACTION, NUCLEAR BREAKOUT ASSESSMENT’
The US and Israel maintain the operation’s goal is to degrade Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities following a “nuclear breakout" assessment, CNN reported.
Some observers argue the strikes were part of a long-standing strategic plan independent of domestic scandals. Researchers from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) have identified pro-Iran propaganda networks actively promoting the “distraction" narrative to delegitimise US actions, according to Al Jazeera and other assessments.
THE EPSTEIN FILE DEVELOPMENTS AMID THE WAR
Despite the war, legal and legislative actions regarding the files continue:
The House Oversight Committee recently voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the DOJ’s handling and alleged “obfuscation" of the documents. Senators have called for a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into whether the DOJ’s redactions served to “cover up" abuse.
On March 11, reports emerged that a foreign hacker compromised Epstein-related files at an FBI field office in 2023.
With agency inputs
First Published:
March 11, 2026, 16:27 IST
News explainers Distraction From Epstein Files Or Over Security Concerns? Decoding The Timeline Of Trump’s Iran War
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