Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan:

Israel’s attacks on Syria and Lebanon are now also threatening Turkey.

The Israelis are directing threats toward Turkey, and we are aware of their intentions.

Our response will be extremely harsh if Turkey’s rights and those of Turkish Cypriots are targeted.

If things spiral out of control, “the fire will not only burn our region.”

The entire world will pay the price if Israel is not restrained.

“The Gulf’s Glass Houses Are Shattering”: Iran War Exposes the Myth of U.S. Deterrence

Middle East Eye reports that the era of permanent U.S. military bases in the Gulf is rapidly declining — and that Iran’s resilience and devastating counterattacks are the driving force behind this major shift in regional power dynamics.

The large U.S. bases, originally intended to deter attacks, have now become attractive targets — as the recent confrontations with Iran have demonstrated.

When clashes erupted last week, Iran launched strikes on Kuwait in response to U.S. attacks. Despite Washington’s claims of successful interceptions, satellite imagery showed damage at Ali Al-Salem Air Base, and a building at Kuwait International Airport was also hit.

Shift toward a smaller, more flexible presence

Current and former U.S. officials told Middle East Eye that American control of bases in Kuwait has effectively become unsustainable.

Kuwait currently hosts around 14,000 U.S. troops — the largest number in the region — across bases such as Camp Arifjan and Ali Al-Salem Air Base, both of which have come under significant attack.

Rather than investing further resources in fortifying these installations, the United States ultimately chose to evacuate its personnel.

Reports also indicate that limited air defense stockpiles have made full protection impossible.

The focus is expected to shift toward smaller, more dispersed facilities located farther from Iran’s reach, similar to the “Jenkins Logistics Support Area” near Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. That base was reportedly designed to provide “strategic depth” beyond Iran’s reach.

Defense sources say the war with Iran will push the United States away from a model of “permanent presence” toward one of “priority access” — similar to the approach used in Oman. U.S. agreements across the Gulf already vary significantly: permanent basing in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar contrasts with Oman’s lighter footprint, which has left it relatively less exposed to escalation.

Furthermore, Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has created major sustainment and logistics challenges for the U.S. Fifth Fleet and for ports such as Jebel Ali in the UAE. This is why Washington is now exploring alternative logistics routes, including ports such as Jizan on the Red Sea.