Iran’s War of Exhaustion

The US-Israeli Strategy of Attrition and the Iranian Strategy of Resistance

The US-Israeli strategy of attrition has proven to be ill-suited for defeating Iran’s strategy of resistance and patience. Weeks into the war against Iran, the offensive capabilities of the Iranian regime have been significantly degraded, with its military infrastructure reduced to a fraction of its prewar strength. Defensive capabilities are nearly non-existent, and US and Israeli warplanes operate without opposition over Iranian airspace. Thousands of missions flown in 2025 and 2026 have resulted in only one aircraft being hit by enemy fire. While the Pentagon views this as a successful campaign, it is clear that the Iranians are not capitulating.

A War of Exhaustion

Despite assurances from the White House and the Pentagon, the Iranians remain unwilling to surrender or even seek a ceasefire. President Donald Trump’s postponed threats to bomb Iranian energy infrastructure highlight a fundamental problem: the United States and Israel are fighting a war of attrition, aiming to compel the Iranians to submit through the destruction of their military infrastructure. However, the Iranians are waging a different kind of war—a war of exhaustion. Their objective is to absorb US and Israeli attacks, hold on, and wait for the impatient Americans to tire. This is a war of will and defiance, not capacity, and it has been successful in past conflicts such as Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Southern Lebanon.

Carl von Clausewitz, one of the most famous military theorists, warned that statesmen and commanders must recognize the nature of the war they are engaging in. In the current conflict, Washington and Jerusalem believe that destroying Iranian hardware will lead to Tehran’s capitulation. However, this strategy may be self-defeating, as the Iranians are defending with a strategy of exhaustion, through resistance and patience.

The Elements of Iranian Strategy

The first element of the Iranian strategy is muqawamat (“resistance”). This was exemplified in 2006 when Israeli airstrikes devastated the Hezbollah suburbs of Beirut, similar to what is happening in Gaza today. Infrastructure throughout southern Lebanon was destroyed, but after the ceasefire, Hezbollah organized the “Divine Victory Rally,” where hundreds of thousands of residents celebrated among the ruins, showing their defiance and resistance. Those who died were revered as martyrs, and those who survived were called Muqawimun (the “resisters”).

The second element of the war of exhaustion is sabr (“patience”). This concept carries both temporal and spiritual meanings in the region. The Trump administration’s own statements reflect this idea. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who opposes “forever wars,” has not set a precise timetable for the Iran War but often refers to ending it within weeks. Similarly, President Trump, a long-time critic of endless wars, prefers limited operations like Operation Absolute Resolve. However, the American people, weary from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, are not looking for another long “war of choice” in the Middle East.

The Role of Patience and Cost

Patience is also a key factor due to the reported and potential costs of the Iran War. The consumption of precision weapons and the financial burden on the US and its allies are significant concerns. There is a limit to the number of weapons available, especially as the fight against Iran competes with other active operations such as Ukraine and potential contingencies like Taiwan. Additionally, the long lead time for producing replacement weapons adds to the challenge.

The Iranians understand the dynamics of a war of exhaustion. For Tehran, resistance and patience are the best ways to stand up to the West. They aim to win without losing, letting unforgiving oil markets and impatient enemies dictate the war strategy. According to Politico, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi argued that the spike in global oil prices proves Iran will not capitulate, as the West is more concerned about oil prices than defeating Iran.

The Axis of Resistance

In 2002, then-President George Bush declared Iran part of “The Axis of Evil.” Soon after, Iran embraced the term “Axis of Resistance” to describe its network of proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Gaza, and Yemen. “Resistance” is also the term used to explain the current war by Foreign Minister Araghchi, the late Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, and others. It is not just a slogan but a strategy.

As the US continues to expend its resources, patience, and the pocketbooks of consumers worldwide, military and strategic planners must rethink the logic of trying to win an offensive war of attrition against a regime fighting a defensive war of exhaustion.

About the Author

Mark Kimmitt is a retired US Army brigadier general. He served as assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs and as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East post-retirement. Kimmitt graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, and received master’s degrees from the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the National Defense University.