Gulf states urged US president Donald Trump to pursue diplomacy, not war, warning of threats to energy markets. So far, the vast majority have been intercepted, and western officials have applauded the Gulf states’ ability to defend against the threat. Iranian forces have fired more than 3,000 missiles and drones at the US’s allies in the Gulf and hundreds at Israel. But he said the effectiveness of Iran’s drones would diminish rapidly as more solid drone defences were built. Gulf states have relied largely on fighter jets and US air-defence systems, such as Patriot interceptors, to stop the Shaheds.
