The military campaign that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on 28 February has plunged the region into conflict, triggering retaliatory strikes from Tehran, including against all six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Amid frantic efforts to defend their airspaces and populations, these countries are counting the high cost of partnering with the US – a price they were already paying by accepting a compromised role in Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. As a result, they are likely to increasingly embrace hard power and diversify security partnerships in the face of worsening regional volatility.
Iran and Gaza conflicts teach Gulf states a hard-power lesson
Tehran’s strikes and Trump’s Gaza peace plan show Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Gulf states that they should no longer rely on America for security guarantees, write Neil Quilliam and Kristian Alexander.
The World Today
Published 16 March 2026 — 6 minute READ
Image — Fujairah industrial zone in the UAE explodes after being struck by debris from an intercepted Iranian projectile on 3 March. Iran's strikes on Gulf neighbours have forced the UAE to shut its airspace. Photo: Fadel Senna / AFP via Getty Images.
