
Since the start of the war between the US, Israel and Iran, Tehran appears to have expanded its retaliation by hitting Gulf Arab countries more than Israel.
Iran has launched 2,171 drones and missiles at Gulf states, while only 255 drones and missiles have been launched at Israel since February 28. Of the attacks on the Gulf, 1,138 were against the United Arab Emirates, making it the country hardest hit in the conflict.
Analysts say Tehran's strategy appears to be aimed at pressuring US regional allies to stop the war, but Iran appears to have miscalculated.
In response, Gulf states have held an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and have activated air defense systems and joint patrols. They warned that continued attacks could turn the region from a “defensive shield” into an “active response theater.”
At the same time, Iranian missiles and drones have also struck Azerbaijan, while NATO air systems in Turkey have intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile that passed over Iraqi and Syrian airspace.
Although the intensity of Iranian attacks has declined slightly in recent days, their scale indicates the growing risk that the conflict could escalate into a broader regional confrontation.
Experts warn that the expansion of the conflict in the Gulf and the neighborhood of Turkey and Azerbaijan significantly increases the risk of a bloody and unpredictable regional war.