Iran attack on Israel looms large as US seeks Gulf backing for missile shield

The United States hopes defense meetings in Riyadh on Wednesday will help advance a long-standing goal of building a regional missile shield, bolstered by Israel’s successful defense against waves of incoming Iranian missiles and drones last month, US officials say.

But it’s unclear whether Gulf allies have the same confidence the US would rush to their defense, or if those allies are willing to take the steps needed to truly integrate their defenses in a region that has longed hedged its bets, according to former US officials and experts.

The May 22 meeting in Riyadh between the US and Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council comes just over a month after the United States, Britain and other allies helped Israel knock down hundreds of missiles and drones, mostly launched from inside Iran.

The meeting also comes against the backdrop of months of missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthis against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Many projectiles have been intercepted by US and British warships, demonstrating the power of Western air defenses.

A senior US defense official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Gulf allies recognized that the successful defense of Israel was a result of years of defense integration among Israel’s partners. READ MORE