Tensions in the Middle East have reached a critical point as US allies in the region openly expressed their dissatisfaction with Washington's current military strategy.
According to a large-scale analysis of The Washington Post, Arab Gulf states are deeply outraged by President Donald Trump's failure to end his war with Iran. Instead of a quick victory or effective diplomacy, the conflict continues to inflict severe economic and infrastructural damage on neighboring countries that feel embroiled in a foreign war.
The diplomatic clash between Qatar and Tehran
Along with the growing discontent against the White House, a serious diplomatic scandal has erupted in the region. Qatar's Foreign Ministry has categorically denied claims by Iran's General Staff that Doha is holding three Iranian military pilots captive. Iran had earlier announced that the pilots of two Su-24 fighter jets had been captured after an attack on the US base “Al-Udeid“ in Qatar.
The official representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majid al-Ansari, called these statements “misleading“. As international agencies reported (source: report.az/ru/drugie-strany/katar-otverg-zayavleniya-irana-o-zahvate-v-plen-treh-pilotov), Qatar had invited Iranian experts back in April to get acquainted with the details of the rescue operation during which the wreckage of the planes was found, but Tehran has not yet sent a response. Doha stressed that such accusations deliberately harm diplomatic efforts for de-escalation.
New US military activity over the Gulf
The situation on the ground remains explosive due to the Pentagon's continuous intelligence missions. Agency TASS (source: riamo.ru/news/obschestvo/voennye-samolety-i-dron-ssha-snova-zametili-nad-persidskim-zalivom/), citing sources from the aviation services in the Middle East, reported a new massive appearance of American military equipment in the neutral airspace over the Persian Gulf.
In the immediate vicinity of the Iranian air border, the following were detected:
- At least three loader planes Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker and Boeing KC-46A Pegasus
- Modern vertical takeoff reconnaissance drone Shield AI V-Bat UAV
The American aircraft have been maneuvering at an altitude of about 6 kilometers, affecting civil aviation corridors, which further complicates flight safety. Regional analysts warn that the lack of a clear way out of the conflict and increased pressure from Trump could lead to a new unpredictable escalation, for which Washington's Arab allies refuse to pay the price.