The Trump administration is facing growing dissatisfaction from its Gulf allies, who complain that the US did not give them enough time to respond to the intense attacks by Iranian drones and missiles, which are retaliation for the US-Israel joint strike against Iran. Some Gulf countries have expressed disappointment with how the US is handling the war, especially the first strike on Iran on February 28. They claim that the US and Israel did not notify them in advance of the attacks and accuse the US of ignoring their warnings that this war would have a devastating impact on the entire region. Gulf countries generally believe that US military operations mainly focus on protecting Israel and US forces, leaving the Gulf countries to defend themselves, but their missile interception reserves are rapidly depleting.
Saad al-Kaabi, the Qatari minister of energy affairs, warned that the Middle East war could "destroy the global economy," and all Gulf oil-producing countries may stop production within days, causing oil prices to surge to $150 per barrel. Even if the war ends immediately, Qatar will need "weeks to months" to restore normal supply cycles after an Iranian drone attack on its largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant. Qatar, the world's second-largest LNG producer, was forced to declare force majeure and inability to fulfill contracts after the attack on its Ras Laffan plant this week. The country's energy affairs minister stated that although Qatar only exports a small portion of its gas to Europe, Europe will feel the significant impact because Asian buyers will compete for existing gas at higher prices, and other Gulf countries may be unable to fulfill their contract obligations.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858984564009097/
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