‘Severely damaged’: how the US-Israel war on Iran is decoupling Gulf security
Analysts say attacks on Gulf states have eroded confidence in America's security guarantee, forcing a strategic shift.
A Chinese analysis argues that the ongoing US-Israel military campaign against Iran has fundamentally shattered the security architecture that has underpinned Gulf prosperity for decades. Jin Liangxiang, a senior fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, published an article on March 14 stating that the conflict and the ensuing 'Hormuz crisis' rank among the most destructive events in the region's modern history. Despite the presence of thousands of US troops and advanced defense systems, Iranian missiles and drones have successfully paralyzed the critical Strait of Hormuz and struck airports, ports, and refineries across all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
This widespread damage has produced a dual humanitarian and economic catastrophe, delivering what Jin terms a 'systemic security shock' to the GCC economies. The core argument is that the visible failure of the US security umbrella to protect its allies has 'severely damaged' the foundational confidence in America's defense guarantees. Consequently, Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now compelled to confront a stark new reality. The analysis concludes that the region is bearing the price of its historical over-reliance on a single protector and must now urgently develop a more diversified, multifaceted security and diplomatic strategy to ensure future stability.
- Chinese analyst Jin Liangxiang labels the US-Israel war on Iran a top destructive event in modern regional history, causing a 'systemic security shock'.
- Iranian attacks successfully hit civilian infrastructure across all six GCC states, paralyzing the Strait of Hormuz despite US military presence.
- The perceived failure of US protection is forcing Gulf states to abandon sole reliance on America and pursue a multifaceted security strategy.
Why It Matters
This signals a potential major realignment in Middle East geopolitics and global energy security, impacting oil markets and international alliances.