US and Israel Campaign to Neutralize Iranian Resistance Axis

The Federal government of the United States and the Cabinet of Israel are executing a coordinated military campaign to neutralize the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of Iranian-backed proxies including Hezbollah in Lebanon and armed factions in Iraq. This escalation includes the use of B-2 bombers to strike Iranian nuclear facilities and an Israeli ground invasion and air campaign in Lebanon to demilitarize Hezbollah. The conflict has resulted in the assassinations of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Hezbollah General Secretary Hasan Nasrallah.

In response to Iranian strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure, several Gulf states—including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain—have shifted their regional strategy to support the U.S.-Israeli campaign. These nations are urging Washington to ensure Iran's military capabilities are significantly degraded. Saudi Arabia has granted U.S. forces access to King Fahd Air Base, while the United Arab Emirates is increasing economic pressure on Iranian assets. However, Oman continues to advocate for rapid de-escalation.

Iran is countering these efforts through a war of attrition and mosaic warfare to retrain Hezbollah, betting on the economic exhaustion of its adversaries. The regional instability has caused severe economic disruption, leading QatarEnergy to suspend LNG production and triggering volatility in oil prices. While supporting the campaign, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a dual-track approach by maintaining diplomatic channels with Tehran and exploring a new defense framework with Turkey and Pakistan.