Gulf states must rethink trillion-dollar defence in light of US-Iran war, says report
Summary
A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies says Gulf states should reconsider their defence plans after Iranian attacks damaged regional infrastructure and exposed gaps in their military capabilities. It questions whether US bases and arms purchases provide enough protection and says the war has prompted debate in the US about rebuilding bases in the region.Key Facts
- The report says 12 regional states faced 4,670 Iranian one-way attack drones and more than 1,400 ballistic missiles in the weeks before the 8 April ceasefire.
- Nearly half of the reported attacks were aimed at the United Arab Emirates.
- The report cites an estimate that damage to energy infrastructure could reach $58 billion.
- It identifies reliance on US-supplied air and missile defences, weak regional coordination, limited minesweeping and costly weapons as Gulf defence shortcomings.
- The report says US bases and defence partnerships did not ensure adequate protection from Iranian attacks.
- US Senator Chris Murphy said the US military was debating whether to rebuild damaged Gulf bases and argued that any rebuilt presence should be limited to what the US can protect.
- Murphy suggested relocating at least some US bases in the eastern Mediterranean farther from Iranian missiles.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
