Gulf States Question U.S. Reliability After Iran War Hit Bases and Infrastructure
Updated
Updated · NPR · Jun 19
Gulf States Question U.S. Reliability After Iran War Hit Bases and Infrastructure
3 articles · Updated · NPR · Jun 19
Summary
Gulf leaders are reassessing the value of hosting U.S. bases after months of Iranian drone and missile attacks hit infrastructure, hotels, oil and gas facilities, with American bases among the main targets.
Dania Thafer said U.S. defense technology still helped Gulf states withstand the attacks, and leaders continue to see Washington as their most important security partner despite growing doubts about its reliability.
That skepticism has deepened because Gulf states were exposed to retaliation from a war launched by the U.S. and Israel, while debate grows over whether advanced defense systems matter more than permanent U.S. bases.
Trump's retreat from eliminating Iran's short-range ballistic missiles has added to Gulf disappointment, Thafer said, because those weapons threatened the region and the Strait of Hormuz remains central to its economic security.
With Europe hesitant, China minimally involved and Russia seen as aiding Iran with intelligence, Gulf capitals still view the U.S. as the best available option among weak alternatives.