All articles tagged with #gulf states
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Jordan to press for deeper Gulf security ties and defense cooperation with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE as Kyiv seeks external support amid the Russia-Ukraine war; Ukraine has deployed anti-drone experts to the Gulf and cited ongoing drone activity linked to Iran, while a drone strike on Russia’s Ust-Luga port was reported as the visit progressed.
Ukraine signed 10-year defense agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to cooperate on air defense and countering missiles and drones, as Zelenskyy pushes for systemic Middle East partnerships, joint production and battlefield-experience exchanges in exchange for access to high-end missiles amid Iranian strikes and ongoing Russian attacks.
Atlantic Council experts say the Iran war has left the regime bruised but stable, with Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz giving it leverage over the global economy even as US-led strikes showcase unmatched multi-domain capability that is hard to sustain. The conflict prompts rethinking of Trump’s “peace through strength” approach, while opposition groups seek unity and the Gulf states face security and economic diversification pressures. Israel broadly supports the campaign, yet domestic debates persist. Globally, energy markets, chokepoints, and great-power competition—especially with China and Russia—shape the trajectory, raising the risk of further escalation and a prolonged crisis for Iran.
Amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, Trump claimed Iran sent a 'present' by allowing oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with accompanying briefs on ongoing strikes, a four-to-six week war timeline, assurances to protect Gulf allies, and questions about Iran’s nuclear program, alongside broader military and political maneuvering.
Analysts say Iran’s Shahed drones are cheap, easy to assemble with off-the-shelf parts, and capable of long-range strikes, allowing Tehran to keep pressuring Gulf targets and the Strait of Hormuz even as U.S.-led strikes target drone production; experts warn that decentralized manufacturing and potential Russian assistance could sustain thousands of these drones, while costly interceptors and air defenses struggle to stop them.
Airstrikes hit Iran and missiles target Israel and Gulf states as the war intensifies, with the U.S. saying talks with Tehran to end the conflict are underway while Iran denies negotiations. Thousands of U.S. Marines head to the Gulf as oil prices climb, and fighting spills into Lebanon and beyond, complicating regional diplomacy amid rising tensions.
The New Statesman argues we’re in an “everything shock” rather than a simple oil crisis: roughly 10–13 million barrels per day of oil are being withheld, driven by Middle East geopolitics that may allocate energy beyond markets. This tightens energy and food prices, pressures bond markets and the US economy, and even affects AI by raising data-centre energy costs and chip/Supply-chain risks, as Hormuz bottlenecks and Gulf revenue strains ripple through global trade and tech investment.
Saudi Arabia has opened Taif Air Base to US forces and the UAE says it’s prepared for a long war against Iran, signaling a Gulf shift toward backing a US-Israeli campaign even as leaders wrestle with deterrence, de-escalation, and control of strategic chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing attacks and logistics pressures.
As Iran’s drone and missile strikes press Gulf states amid US-Israeli actions, Gulf regimes emphasize defenses while increasingly relying on a web of allies—US bases in Qatar’s Al Udeid and the UAE’s Al-Dhafra, Saudi-Pakistan ties, UK security cooperation, and other partnerships—for potential naval escorts and enhanced air defense to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz; formal mutual-defense commitments remain limited, so concrete support depends on strategic interests and operational needs.
Facing Iranian Shahed drone swarms, Gulf nations are courting Ukraine’s defense industry for cheaper interceptor drones and funding. Kyiv has dispatched teams to the Middle East to showcase capabilities, with talks of export deals—potentially with Saudi Arabia—that could boost Ukrainian production. Ukraine markets its cheap, scalable layered defenses and interceptor drones (like Wild Hornets’ Sting and Sting 2), but export approvals remain under government control and global demand could shift as Western manufacturers boost their own capacity.
Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Gulf energy and civilian targets deepen the regional crisis and pressure Gulf Cooperation Council members to decide whether to join the conflict; Saudi officials say Tehran’s attacks aim to intimidate and erode trust, while some Gulf states push for de-escalation and seek an off-ramp with US involvement and arms discussions to stabilize the region and protect energy security.
Tit-for-tat strikes on energy facilities from the Iran-Israel-U.S. conflict threaten Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG hub and Gulf energy exports, risking sharp disruption to LNG and oil markets, possible closure of key Hormuz shipping routes, and multi-year repair timelines that could ripple through global energy supply chains.
As Iran widens its strikes on Gulf energy facilities, regional powers such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE face a choice between maintaining diplomatic/defensive postures and taking offensive action. Possible moves include allowing U.S. bases and airspace access for strikes or targeting Iran’s missile and drone launchers, while aiming to protect critical shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts warn that any retaliation risks triggering heavier Iranian responses and broader regional escalation, including strikes on civilian infrastructure or leveraging proxies like the Houthis.
Foreign ministers from 12 countries including Qatar, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye and the UAE met in Riyadh to coordinate a response to Iran’s escalating strikes on energy facilities and other targets, condemning Tehran and affirming the right to defend themselves under UN Charter Article 51. They urged Iran to halt attacks and proxy support while condemning Israeli actions in Lebanon and broader regional expansion, but offered few concrete follow-up steps. Saudi officials signaled they could act if needed, underscoring a shift from past caution amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation as Iran’s leadership contends with new dynamics after recent killings and retaliatory strikes.
Iran launches missiles at Israel and Gulf states, prompting Israeli airstrikes that hit Beirut, including the destruction of a central apartment building. In Beirut, early strikes killed at least six people and wounded 24, while a separate attack in Ramat Gan, Israel, killed two, signaling a sharp widening of regional hostilities and a new chapter of retaliation between Tehran-backed groups and Israeli forces.