After 6 months of war, Iran's battered regime remains entrenched
Six months into a conflict between the U.S./Israel and Iran, the Iranian regime remains in power despite significant military damage. While the initial bombing campaign decimated Iran's air and naval capabilities, the country maintains a persistent threat through its missile and drone programs.
Why it matters
The ongoing instability in the Middle East and the limitations of military intervention in achieving regime change have significant implications for global security and energy markets.
It has been six months since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran. One of their main goals was to bring down the regime in Tehran, but Iran's leaders have managed to hold onto power.
Instead of collapsing, the regime has dug in its heels and taken an even harder line.
Here is a look at where things stand at the war's half-year mark.
The U.S. and Israel intensively bombed Iran from Feb. 28 until a ceasefire was declared on April 8. The attacks killed dozens of top Iranian leaders on the first day of the war, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , who had ruled for more than three decades.
The five-week assault at the beginning of the war wiped out Iran's limited air force, including its air defenses, and virtually all of its navy, aside from small speed boats.
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