Twelve days into the US and Israel's war on Iran, Tehran is firing retaliatory missiles bearing the words “in memory of victims of Epstein Island” at its targets.
An image, posted by Iran's Press TV, shows the message written on the side of a missile.
"In memory of victims of Epstein island"
— Press TV ???? (@PressTV) March 10, 2026
- Written on an Iranian missile prior to its launch towards US-Israeli positions.
Follow https://t.co/boCY50qN7H pic.twitter.com/47Acf6jIHa
The message references the long-running scandal surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whose network and associates have come under scrutiny following the release of files by the US Department of Justice earlier this year. Epstein was close to Trump, multiple videos and photographs show. The US President, though, has distanced himself from the disgraced financier.
Before the latest war began on February 28, the Epstein files had already caused global reverberations, drawing attention to Trump, whose name reportedly appears more than 38,000 times across roughly three million pages of documents.
Israel's former prime minister Ehud Barak and several other public figures have also faced scrutiny over past connections to Epstein. Allegations about Epstein's ties to Israel, including claims that he may have had links to the Jewish state's intelligence agency Mossad, have surfaced as well.
In the US, the renewed attention has led to political pressure and resignations from some officials connected to the financier.
Former US president Bill Clinton recently told lawmakers during closed-door testimony that he “saw nothing that gave me pause” during the times he spent with Epstein. His wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, testified before the same panel a day earlier.
Among those caught in the controversy were also former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson, the former United Kingdom ambassador to the United States.
Epstein ran a network exploiting underage girls for sexual abuse. His victims, often minors, were coerced or trafficked to provide sexual services to Epstein and his wealthy or influential associates, including prominent figures in politics, business, and royalty.
Now, much of the political focus around the Epstein files has shifted since the US and Israel decided to bomb Iran.
Trump ordered military strikes on Iran, assassinating their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials. This, critics say, was done to divert attention from the ongoing Epstein controversy.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie said the escalation would not stop efforts to push for the full release of Justice Department records related to Epstein's network.
“Bombing a country on the other side of the globe won't make the Epstein files go away,” he wrote on X.
The first wave of US‑Israeli airstrikes on Iran included a strike near a girls' elementary school in Minab. The attack killed around 180 children.
Trump denied US responsibility, suggesting Iran or “someone else” might have fired the missile. Videos showed a Tomahawk missile hitting the site, and expert analysis confirmed the missile was a US‑made Tomahawk, only available in America.
On Tuesday, Iran circulated a poster showing Trump smiling over the bodies of children killed in the February 28 strike on the girls' primary school. The poster showed Trump holding a Nobel Peace Prize medal, mocking his repeated claims of deserving the award.
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