The attack came in two directions, with massive German landings at the Delta while a combined Spanish-Italian force to come in from Libya. The Nile Delta campaign was abandoned because of the failure of the western force to defeat the British at El Alamein. With German reinforcements the drive continued and capture Alexandria. The Axis then began a drive toward Cairo, and captured it by February 1942. In the next month the Suez Canal was captured, ending British dominance of the Meditteranean.