IISS: Gulf states must rethink defences after US-Iran war

The International Institute for Strategic Studies reports that 12 regional states, mostly in the Gulf, faced 4,670 Iranian attack drones and over 1,400 ballistic missiles before the 8 April ceasefire, with nearly half aimed at the UAE. It warns that US bases and trillion-dollar arms purchases failed to deliver protection and that US forces are increasingly seen as a liability. A smaller American footprint, possible Gulf accommodation with Iran and a shift in regional alliances could reshape the balance of power around Israel and the wider Middle East.