Stop Israel from bombing Iran’s oil sites, Gulf states urge US

Gulf states are urging Washington to prevent Israel from attacking Iran’s oil sites, fearing that if the conflict escalates, Tehran’s proxies could retaliate by targeting their own oil infrastructure, according to three Gulf sources cited by Reuters.

In an effort to avoid being drawn into the conflict, countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are also denying Israel the use of their airspace for any potential strikes on Iran and have communicated this stance to Washington, the sources said.

Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s recent missile strike, while Tehran has warned that any retaliation would lead to significant destruction, raising concerns of a broader regional conflict that could involve the United States. The Gulf states’ actions follow diplomatic efforts by Iran, a non-Arab Shi’ite power, to persuade its Sunni Gulf neighbours to leverage their influence with Washington as tensions rise over possible Israeli strikes on Iran’s oil facilities.

via Reuters