NewsTrack: Iran war risks US-Gulf ties; Dubai tourism takes hit

The United States faces the risk of losing its Gulf alliances as the ongoing conflict with Iran escalates. The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran without consulting Gulf Cooperation Council partners, leaving them exposed to Iranian retaliation. Iran has targeted American and Israeli bases, energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and civilian facilities across the UAE. Markets have plummeted, trade has slowed, and oil prices have spiked. Analysts warn of a potential fertiliser crisis affecting global agriculture and an existential water threat to the Gulf region. Around 100 million people depend on desalination plants that could become targets. Simon Nixon, former chief European commentator at The Wall Street Journal, warns that the impact of soaring oil prices may be the least concern, with real dangers including global food security and water crises. Dubai's tourism has dropped 70 percent and its property market has fallen nearly 20 percent since the conflict escalated.