Description
“We've seen in the past that the Houthis have that capability to strike the UAE directly,” Andreas Krieg, assistant professor at the Defence Studies Department of King's College London, told MEE. “That's a major security concern in Abu Dhabi at the moment.”“Bahrain… is the most anti-Iranian GCC country,” said Krieg. “They've always positioned themselves very forcefully against Iranian interests.”
“They don't want to be seen as supporting Israel's war effort by positioning themselves against the Houthis,” said Krieg. “Public opinion in the Gulf has turned very hostile towards Israel and of the support from Western countries to Israel - especially the US.”
For Krieg, the lack of public participation from Arab states is more a legitimacy concern for Washington, than one of operational effectiveness of the task force.
“Public opinion in the Gulf has turned very hostile towards Israel and of the support from Western countries to Israel - especially the US.”
“The Gulf countries will reconsider how and on what occasion they will integrate with the US. So there will be a lot more picking and choosing,” he said.
“The US certainly doesn't have the same freedom to manoeuvre in the Gulf that it had prior to this war in Gaza.”
| Period | 20 Dec 2023 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Middle East Eye, United States |
Keywords
- Yemen
- Israel
- Houthi