Six-Month Iran War Leaves Trump, Netanyahu and Tehran Facing Unmet Goals
Six months after a US-Israel strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader, the conflict has failed to meet its declared objectives and is straining the economies and political standing of the United States, Israel and Iran.
A joint US-Israel operation on February 28 eliminated Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, aiming to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program, a goal now regarded as unfulfilled. President Donald Trump faces record-low approval ratings, driven by a 50 percent rise in petrol costs and unfulfilled promises of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while an Ipsos poll shows fewer than one-third of Americans support the war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s standing has eroded, with pollsters linking his decline to the failed campaign and the perception that he pursued regime change over nuclear deterrence. Iran’s economy has absorbed an estimated $145 billion loss and 66 percent inflation, yet its enriched uranium stockpiles and proxy forces in Hamas and Hezbollah persist. Experts suggest the costly, indecisive conflict will deter future administrations from similar military ventures and could influence the upcoming US midterm elections. Despite the hardships, Tehran’s leadership remains resilient, framing the struggle as a defense of national sovereignty.
Why it matters
The stalled war reshapes US and Israeli politics, strains economies and signals a shift in future Middle-East military strategies.
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