Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly facing immense scrutiny from Gulf countries for giving no prior warning about the US-Israel joint strikes on Iran. Several regions in the Middle East, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the UAE, have been facing retaliatory action from Iran ever since the attacks.
According to The Independent, officials from America’s Persian Gulf allies are claiming that they did not get adequate time to prepare for the Iranian drones and missiles coming their way as a response to the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran.
Officials from two Gulf nations were reportedly disappointed with the handling of the conflict right from the first attack on Iran. An anonymous official also expressed frustration over the US military’s inability to deal with the attacks in the regions.
The military operations focusing on protecting American and Israeli troops have left Gulf nations with little to no choice but to protect themselves.
‘If they think we’re going to win without a ground war in Iran, they’re DEADLY WRONG’
Dr Michael Scheuer, ex CIA head of Bin Laden Counter-terror unit speaks to RT
‘Trump has cost himself DEARLY’ pic.twitter.com/dsDfcSFOkU
— RT (@RT_com) March 1, 2026
The lack of prior warning left the Gulf countries poorly prepared to shield their region from the fallout of the conflict. The unnamed official also noted that his country’s stock of interceptions is also depreciating at a rapid rate.
On the other hand, Anna Kelly, White House spokeswoman, said the retaliatory attacks from Iran have decreased by 90%. She added, “President Trump is in close contact with all of our regional partners, and the terrorist Iranian regime’s attacks on its neighbors prove how imperative it was that President Trump eliminate this threat to our country and our allies.”
Although officials who spoke out against the situation remained anonymous to remain diplomatic, Prince Turki al-Faisal came forward, suggesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dragged Trump into a needless war. Recently, Trump called the conflict to be exciting.
The Wake-Up Call Gulf Kings Never Asked For
The Gulf kings and emirs are really angry now.
They gave America tons of money.
They let US soldiers stay on their land.
They bought expensive American weapons.
They smiled and promised more billions every time a US president… pic.twitter.com/27DwfhWxiN
— Angelo Giuliano 🇨🇭🇮🇹 (@angeloinchina) March 6, 2026
He told CNN, “This is Netanyahu’s war. He somehow convinced the president (Trump) to support his views.” Moreover, the US also proved to be unprepared to stop Iranian drones targeting the troops in the Gulf region. This was part of the closed-door discussion with lawmakers.
Since several Gulf countries are within Iran’s short missile range, they are suffering the brunt of the retaliatory attacks. So far, Iran has fired 1480 drones and 380 missiles, as per the official statements.
The US military is also struggling with intercepting Shahed drones and asked Ukraine for help, as they are experts in countering these drones. Meanwhile, many are also concerned about the economic impact and instability caused by the war. A Kuwait-based analyst, Bader Mousa Al-Saif, claimed the US underestimated the potential risk of the war to the Gulf allies and what may follow.
