Gulf states must reconfigure trillion‑dollar defence after US‑Iran war, says IISS report
A new International Institute for Strategic Studies study says Gulf economies have been hit by $58bn in damage and US bases may no longer guarantee protection, forcing a rethink of massive defence spending.
At a glance
- IISS report says Gulf states face $58bn in energy infrastructure damage from 4,670 Iranian drones and over 1,400 missiles in the weeks before the April 8 ceasefire.
- The study highlights that Gulf militaries’ trillion‑dollar US weapons purchases have not delivered protection and leave them unprepared for attritional air warfare.
- US Senator Chris Murphy warns rebuilding Gulf bases is futile if they can be destroyed within hours, urging a smaller US footprint and possible relocation to the eastern Mediterranean.
**Gulf states must reconfigure trillion‑dollar defence after US‑Iran war, says IISS report**
Gulf states are being forced to rethink their trillion‑dollar defence spending after Iran’s April attacks damaged economies and exposed the limits of US bases, according to a new International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) report. The study says the 8 April ceasefire followed weeks in which 12 regional states, mostly Gulf countries, faced 4,670 Iranian one‑way attack drones and more than 1,400 ballistic missiles, nearly half of them aimed at the United Arab Emirates. Although the vast majority were repelled, the report estimates up to **$58bn (£43bn)** in damage to energy infrastructure.
Scale of Iranian strikes The report details the sheer volume of the assault: 4,670 drones and over 1,400 missiles in the weeks before the ceasefire. Nearly half targeted the UAE, and the damage to energy assets is put at $58bn. The attacks have left Gulf economies vulnerable and have raised questions about the continued value of US bases in the region.
Economic toll and strategic doubts Iran would portray any reduction or withdrawal of US forces as “a strategic success” and use it to embarrass Gulf states for their long‑standing reliance on US protection. The study highlights an “uncomfortable truth”: Gulf militaries’ trillion‑dollar acquisition of US weapons has not translated into protection at a critical moment, and they are ill‑prepared for the new attritional air war they now face. Shortcomings include over‑reliance on US air‑ and missile‑defence systems, a lack of regional defence integration, insufficient minesweeping capability, limited retaliatory options, and the high cost of high‑end systems versus cheap drones and missiles.
US base vulnerability and policy debate The report notes that US bases have become a pretext for Iranian attacks and that public opinion in the Gulf is shifting “from security provider to strategic liability.” In the United States, Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says a debate is underway about rebuilding damaged Gulf bases. Murphy questions the utility of bases that could be “wiped off the map” within 24 hours of a hot war, calling it “criminally incompetent” to rebuild them. He suggests a smaller US footprint, limited by “what can we protect?”, and proposes relocating bases in the eastern Mediterranean further from Iranian missiles.
The IISS study stops short of endorsing a new non‑aggression pact with Iran, but it makes clear that existing US defence partnerships have failed to ensure adequate protection against Iranian aggression.
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- How much damage did Iran’s April attacks cause to Gulf energy infrastructure?
- The IISS report estimates up to $58bn (£43bn) in damage to energy infrastructure.
- Why does the IISS say US bases may be of questionable value?
- Because they can be quickly destroyed and provide Iran with a pretext for attacks, while Gulf states’ heavy US weapons spending has not ensured protection.
- What does Chris Murphy propose regarding US military presence in the Gulf?
- He suggests a smaller US footprint focused on what can be protected and proposes relocating bases away from Iranian missiles, possibly to the eastern Mediterranean.
