Six months into Iran war, Trump’s war goals remain elusive as conflict drags on

Six months after President Donald Trump initiated the conflict with Iran, the war persists without a clear resolution, and several original goals remain unmet. The administration initially promised a rapid victory, but now economic pressure is the main strategy, with depleted US weapon stocks leading to this shift. Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil passes, has disrupted energy and fertiliser supplies, amplifying economic and political tensions.

Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, believed to be buried at three targeted facilities, remains a critical unresolved matter, with the US aiming to retrieve it but facing significant challenges. The war's objectives have evolved to focus on reopening the Hormuz strait, destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, and protecting US allies in the Middle East, but progress on these fronts has been inconsistent.