For the last month and half, Iran has significantly increased hostilities in the Middle East. In response to those unprecedented U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran launched a retaliatory strike. The U.S. responded with strikes as brutal as the largest non-nuclear bombs in the U.S. arsenal. This move has provoked fierce criticism and alarm from local activists and the international community. President Donald Trump rightly described Iran’s retaliatory response as “weak,” but the consequences of these moves are felt far and wide across the region.
And the U.S. military didn’t just plan its operation. It over planned. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated shortly after that the advance warning had been given to Iran to minimize the risk of casualties. The situation escalated, and the citizens of other countries in the region became fearful themselves. They were concerned about the regional implications of escalated violence and a brewing conflict.
Despite Iran’s military capabilities being severely tested, with its enriched uranium supplies destroyed, the Islamic Republic has not officially declared war. The Iranian government is perhaps the biggest loser from the war. Besides the fact that this is a hollow threat, it has already demonstrated its failure as deterrence as the U.S. has demonstrated that it can strike any target in Iran at any time.
On the night of the Iranian strike, a barrage of missiles targeted Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, the largest and most fortified U.S. military installation in the region. The operation’s reach was narrow in scope. At its heart, it mostly brought death to the people of Iraq rather than the soil of Qatar.
The consequences of this war go much further than the battlefield. Observers note that Iran’s actions send a potent geostrategic message to Gulf states, suggesting that hosting American forces could invite devastating retaliatory strikes. This harmful idea has led to widespread fear among marginalized residents about eviction, criminalization and the fragility of their living spaces.
S., an Iranian expat and consultant based in Dubai, shared her conflicted emotions:
“My family are ok thank god… I think I’m more anxious than them. Holy s