Oil monarchies of the Persian Gulf have begun to doubt the ability and willingness of the United States to defend them, Foreign Policy writes.

According to the publication, Gulf states are increasingly skeptical that Washington is capable of guaranteeing their security. The article notes that even if these countries are forced to cooperate openly with Israel in its war, they are likely to view it more as a threat than as a potential ally.

The shift in sentiment was reinforced after Iran carried out retaliatory strikes on US military bases following attacks on Iranian territory. According to the magazine, these events made regional governments realize how vulnerable they are despite security agreements and assurances from American officials.

The article highlights the flight of drones over Abu Dhabi as a vivid example of this vulnerability. In the authors' view, the incident demonstrated that the alliance with the United States was either unable or unwilling to compensate for the region’s security risks.

On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Israeli officials stated that the goal of the strikes was to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump said he intends to destroy Iran’s naval forces and defense industry and called on the country’s citizens to overthrow the current government.

During the night on Sunday, Iranian television reported the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Media reports also said that his daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and daughter-in-law were killed in the US and Israeli strikes.

Reports indicate that missiles are hitting not only military targets but also civilian infrastructure both inside Iran and in other countries across the region. Tehran, in response, has launched strikes on Israeli territory and on US military bases in the Middle East.

Russia has stated that the operation carried out by Washington and Tel Aviv has nothing to do with preserving the nuclear non-proliferation regime and has called for a return to negotiations. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is ready to assist diplomatic efforts, including within the UN Security Council.