How Three Months of War Changed the Gulf Forever

“For decades, people in the wealthy Gulf Arab nations watched the wars of the region unfold on their televisions. War happened to their neighbors — in Yemen, in Syria, in Gaza — but not to them,” the New York Times reports.

“That illusion was shattered by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. It upended these countries’ sense of security, hobbled their energy-rich economies and pushed them to reconsider defense strategies. The American military bases on their soil — rather than shielding them from any harm — had made them the targets for thousands of Iranian missiles and drones.”

“The fighting appears to be over, at least for now, and yet many in the Gulf countries worry that the deal emerging between the United States and Iran will do little to alleviate the threat that Iran poses to them, analysts say.”