CAIRO (Web Desk) – Several Gulf allies have voiced dissatisfaction with the United States, saying they were not properly informed before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and were left vulnerable to Tehran’s retaliation.
Read also: Crisis in Iran and the fragmented response of Muslim world
Officials from two Gulf countries said their governments were disappointed with Washington’s handling of the conflict, particularly the initial attack on Iran last Saturday. According to the officials, their countries were not given advance warning of the operation and their concerns about potential regional consequences were largely ignored.
One official said frustration in the region was growing as Gulf states felt the US military response focused mainly on protecting Israel and American forces, leaving Gulf countries to defend themselves. The official also warned that his country’s stock of air defence interceptors was rapidly running out.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing sensitive diplomatic matters.
Public reactions from Gulf governments have remained cautious, but several influential figures linked to those governments have criticised the US decision to launch the strikes.
Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal suggested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had drawn President Donald Trump into an unnecessary conflict. “This is Netanyahu’s war,” he said during an interview with CNN.
Meanwhile, Pentagon officials have acknowledged in briefings with US lawmakers that intercepting waves of Iranian drones has proven difficult, leaving some American facilities and troops in the Gulf exposed.
Since the conflict began, Iran has launched at least 380 missiles and more than 1,480 drones targeting five Gulf Arab countries, according to an Associated Press tally based on official statements. At least 13 people have been killed across those countries.
In one incident, six US soldiers were killed in Kuwait when an Iranian drone struck an operations centre located at a civilian port.
Recent drone attacks have also targeted US diplomatic sites, including an incident that caused a small fire at the American embassy in Riyadh and another near the US consulate in Dubai.
The US and its regional partners have reportedly sought assistance from Ukraine, which has experience countering Iranian-made Shahed drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the request, while President Trump said the US would welcome help from any country.
Analysts say the conflict has exposed the vulnerability of Gulf states, which lie within range of Iran’s short-range missiles and host numerous potential targets including energy facilities, tourist hubs and American military sites.
Experts believe the United States may have underestimated the extent to which Iran would target Gulf countries rather than focusing solely on Israel and American forces.
Former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney said Gulf nations are concerned not only about security risks but also about the broader economic and political consequences of a prolonged conflict.
He said the region now faces uncertainty over how the war might evolve and warned that Gulf states could ultimately bear the greatest impact of further escalation.
United States, Iran, Gulf Countries, Middle East Conflict, Donald Trump, Israel Iran War, Persian Gulf, Drone Attacks, Regional Security, US Foreign Policy
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