Six Months Into Iran War, U.S. Shifts to Economic Pressure

Six months into the U.S. conflict with Iran, the war that President Donald Trump initially predicted would last four to five weeks has evolved into a prolonged and costly stalemate, with the administration now shifting its strategy from sustained military strikes toward economic pressure and diplomacy. The conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, has resulted in significant military gains for the coalition but has left key objectives unresolved, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the dismantling of Iran's nuclear capabilities.

The White House asserts that American and allied forces have achieved major military successes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling lawmakers that Iran's defense industry has suffered between 80 and 90 percent attrition and could take years to rebuild. U.S. Central Command has continued targeting missile and drone launch sites, air-defense systems, and command centers, and the administration claims to have established air superiority over Iran. However, Iran's regime has neither collapsed nor capitulated, and the country retains the ability to launch attacks and disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a...