President Donald Trump is at a critical point in the growing conflict with Iran, as military gains have stopped despite big promises.

The political, strategic, and structural problems that are getting in the way of Trump’s Iran campaign. Iran’s strong proxy networks, problems with logistics in the region, divisions in Iranian politics, and unexpected Iranian countermeasures that make the fight last longer are some of these.

• Iran’s use of drone swarms and militia strikes in asymmetric warfare makes the U.S. air superiority useless.
• Gulf states are hesitant to escalate, so they don’t give the coalition much help.
• Weak points in the supply line put U.S. troops at risk of losing men in hostile areas.

The Trump administration promised a quick victory, but these factors point to a long battle.