The Gulf Pays the Price as US and Israel Rush to Declare Victory Over Iran

The military confrontation in the Persian Gulf region involving the United States and Israel against Iran is far from a contained conflict. As Khalid Al-Jaber outlines in The National Interest, the Gulf states—along with Iraq and Jordan—have become the unintended victims of a war they neither started nor control.

Despite their diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation, these countries are suffering the consequences of attacks on critical energy infrastructure and disruptions to maritime navigation in the vital Strait of Hormuz. This has shaken economic confidence and driven away investment, leaving the Gulf as the primary casualty zone of a conflict whose objectives are set by powers outside the region.

The rush by the US and Israel to declare early victory over Iran ignores the broader fallout and risks further destabilizing a region already on edge. The Gulf states’ strategic dilemma is stark: they are caught between opposing forces and must absorb the damage without a meaningful role in shaping the conflict’s trajectory or resolution.

This dynamic exposes the callousness of foreign powers treating the Gulf as a chessboard for their geopolitical ambitions, with little regard for the real human and economic costs borne by local populations. As the war drags on, the Gulf’s suffering should serve as a warning against premature triumphalism and a reminder of the complex, dangerous stakes at play.