Latest news with #GulfConflict
New York Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Iran's Attack on a U.S. Base in Qatar is a Nightmare Come True for Gulf States
Doha, the quiet capital of Qatar, is usually known for public safety and manicured malls. So the panicked scenes there on Monday after Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at an American military base near the city were unlike anything its residents had seen. Smoking and blackened shrapnel fell from the sky. Interceptors that collided with the missiles and exploded midair were visible from The Pearl Island, a man-made land mass filled with high-end apartments. Shoppers heard loud booms, and screamed and sprinted for cover in the Villaggio Mall, where gondoliers ply an indoor canal. Lynus Yim, a 22-year-old tourist from Hong Kong who was visiting the mall, said he thought there had been a terrorist attack until he ran outside and saw the missiles. 'I thought that I might not make it through yesterday, because I've never been in a situation like that,' he said by phone a day after the attacks. The operation was telegraphed by Iran and no one was killed. Still, the attack that Iran launched in response to the American bombing of its nuclear sites on Sunday was a nightmare for the Gulf states, which include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Despite years of efforts to build bridges with Iran, curry favor with President Trump and establish their capitals as business-friendly havens in a volatile Middle East, they have found themselves sucked into a conflict that they have sought to avoid. 'It leaves the Gulf in a really uncomfortable spot,' said Dina Esfandiary, Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg Economics. 'Their absolute worst fear came true: They were caught in the middle of an escalation between Iran and the U.S.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
LBCI
22-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Aftershock in the Middle East: Will Iran hit back at the US or hold fire?
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Surrounded by American military bases in nine neighboring Arab countries—from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria—Iran has no shortage of nearby targets. Strategically, striking U.S. positions in the Gulf may appear easier than attacking Israel. Many bases lie just hundreds of kilometers from Iranian territory, well within range of its missile arsenal. Yet, Iranian decision-making is not solely about missile capability. Experts told LBCI that Tehran is calculating the consequences. Directly targeting American military infrastructure, warships, or interests could shift the conflict from a single retaliatory blow into a prolonged war—one that Iran may struggle to sustain. For now, Iran appears to favor continuing its ballistic missile strikes on Israel following Sunday's U.S. operation. Notably, two waves of missiles have already hit Tel Aviv, including a Khaybar missile reportedly used for the first time, causing significant damage. More aggressive actions—such as targeting U.S. bases or mining the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route—could isolate Iran diplomatically and economically, inviting an overwhelming American military response. According to experts, such moves would directly align with Israeli strategic interests and are unlikely to yield tactical gains beyond increasing maritime risk. Some analysts draw comparisons to Iran's calibrated retaliation in January 2020 following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, when Iran fired missiles at Iraq's Ain El-Asad base housing U.S. troops. A similarly restrained approach is likely, despite the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warning that America's actions will provoke "responses beyond the aggressors' calculations." The broader U.S. military presence in the region—estimated at around 40,000 troops, supported by warships and state-of-the-art technology—further tilts the balance against Iran in any open confrontation. Still, Tehran holds other cards. It may rely on allied non-state actors, such as the Houthis in Yemen, who have already fired missiles at Israel, and potentially Hezbollah in Lebanon. Observers say Hezbollah remains cautious. The group has suffered losses in recent months, and Lebanon's internal consensus remains firmly opposed to being dragged into a new war. For now, the party appears unwilling to initiate or escalate a direct military engagement.
Arab News
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Iran says Israel attack on Gulf gas facility attempt ‘to expand war'
TEHRAN: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday Israel's attack on a major gas facility on the shore of the Gulf sought 'to expand the war beyond' Iran. 'Dragging the conflict into the Arabian Gulf region is a major strategic mistake, likely deliberate and intended to extend the war beyond Iranian territory,' Araghchi told foreign diplomats, referring to the attack on the South Pars refinery, adding that that attack was 'an extremely dangerous move.'
