Trump's Iran war drags on with no clear strategy

President Donald Trump launched a military campaign against Iran that has now lasted eight months without a decisive outcome. The United States achieved early air‑space dominance and carried out a large decapitation strike, but Iran has continued to resist and retain its leadership.

Trump’s repeated promises of a "major strike" and a temporary ceasefire have not produced leverage; a memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 to pause hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz was violated within a week. The conflict remains at an impasse, with the United States and Israel maintaining pressure while Iran continues to threaten regional allies and pursue its nuclear program.