Gulf states push Washington to block Israeli airstrikes on Iran

Shafaq News/ Gulf countries are pressuring Washington to prevent Israel from striking Iranian oil fields, fearing that such actions could lead to retaliatory attacks on their own oil facilities by groups aligned with Tehran if the conflict escalates, Reuters quoted Gulf sources as saying.

The three sources close to government circles said that in attempts to avoid being drawn unwillingly into the conflict, Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar have refused to allow Israel to fly within their airspace in any attack on Iran, and have conveyed these concerns to Washington.

Gulf states had also sent a message of reassurance to Iran that they would be neutral in any conflict between it and Israel.

Saudi Arabia has remained cautious of potential Iranian strikes on its oil facilities since a 2019 attack on Aramco that disrupted more than 5% of the global oil supply. Iran denied responsibility for the attack. While Riyadh has pursued a rapprochement with Tehran in recent years, trust between the two nations remains fragile.

The Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE all host US military bases or troops which raises concerns of these countries that Iran could consider them a part of the war against it.

Israel emphasized that it would respond “in due time” to Iran after its missile attack in early October, and said the response would be “lethal and precise.” However, it is uncertain whether Israel will target Iranian oil sites, nuclear facilities, or military bases.

US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday as Washington seeks to prevent the possibility that an Israeli response could trigger a regional war. Biden has expressed opposition to the idea of Israel striking Iranian nuclear sites.

Biden added, "if I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oilfields.”