Trump’s War Has Fractured Gulf Unity as Iran’s Missiles Strike Arab States

The US-Israeli offensive against Iran has exposed deep fractures in the Gulf Cooperation Council, as Iran’s retaliatory missiles and drones strike Arab states that host American military forces but have carefully avoided any public endorsement of the campaign. The conflict has placed Gulf rulers in an impossible position, and President Donald Trump’s demands for unconditional surrender have complicated their diplomacy enormously.
Iran has specifically targeted the Gulf states that host US forces, launching missiles and drones at military installations and energy infrastructure in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Qatar and Saudi Arabia confirmed intercepting attacks aimed at American bases on their territory. In Bahrain, strikes hit hotels and a residential building, causing civilian casualties. In Kuwait, where six American soldiers were killed earlier in the week, fresh waves of Iranian projectiles crossed the airspace and required air defense activation.
The Gulf states find themselves in a deeply uncomfortable position. They host the American military forces that are participating in the offensive against Iran, which has made them targets of Iranian retaliation. Yet they cannot publicly endorse the campaign without risking even more severe Iranian targeting and domestic political backlash. They have quietly cooperated with American operations while publicly calling for restraint and humanitarian corridors — an impossible diplomatic balancing act.
Trump’s demand for Iran’s unconditional surrender has made their situation harder. A negotiated settlement that allowed Gulf states to play a mediating role and preserve their relationships with both Washington and Tehran is now off the table. Trump has said there will be no deal except unconditional surrender. That leaves Gulf rulers watching their territory absorb Iranian missiles while being unable to influence the conflict’s trajectory in any direction.
The UK has deployed additional RAF Typhoon fighters to Qatar, signaling Western commitment to defending Gulf state allies. But the broader question of whether Gulf unity will survive a prolonged conflict with Iran targeting their territory and American forces operating from their soil has not been answered. The fractures visible this week — between the public statements of Gulf governments and the military reality on their territory — may widen significantly if the conflict extends further.