Washington’s Gulf Arab allies are growing increasingly frustrated as the war between the United States and Iran intensifies, threatening their security, economies and long-term stability, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Some officials believe President Trump should dramatically escalate the campaign by deploying ground forces inside Iran and potentially seizing Kharg Island, the country’s crucial oil-export hub. Their view is that Tehran will not loosen its grip on the Strait of Hormuz without far more aggressive military pressure.

Others are pushing for immediate de-escalation, warning that a prolonged conflict could drag on for months, drive away foreign investment and tourism, and inflict further damage across the region. Qatar and several other countries have called for renewed diplomacy, while the United Arab Emirates has urged both sides to return to negotiations and restore safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Gulf states have already suffered significant fallout from Iranian strikes. Kuwait’s water and power facilities have been hit, flights have been repeatedly canceled across the region, and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates has come under attack. Fires have also broken out at facilities in Oman and Iraq.

Gulf officials have also bristled at suggestions that their governments should effectively compensate Iran after their own countries sustained heavy damage. “Gulf nations are frustrated, but powerless in stopping either of the belligerents,” said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)