The Gulf states see two losers in the conflict between Israel and Iran, analysts and Arab officials tell Middle East Eye.
Having squeaked through the hostilities with little damage themselves, leaders in the energy-rich Gulf are now in a position to tap their relative advantages in Israel and the Islamic Republic.
Watching the smoke rise from Tehran was a change for leaders in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who just a few years ago were fending off drones and missiles launched at them from Iran’s allies, the Houthis in Yemen.
Israeli warplanes made hay of Iran’s weak air defences. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps generals were assassinated, and ballistic missile launchers and arms factories were destroyed. The war culminated in the US bombing Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities.
And that is the aspect that US and Israeli officials are hammering home about the conflict in their interactions, three Arab officials told MEE.
