00:00Now, Iran is targeting key shipping routes, oil and infrastructure and commercial centres
00:05with missiles and drones in retaliatory attacks across the region.
00:10With a strong US military presence across the Gulf,
00:13questions remain over how long this conflict can actually last.
00:17So now, Amirul Ayman, our colleague, will break down what Iran is up against
00:21and how long it can sustain this campaign.
00:25Alright, Hafiz, thank you. Let's step back and look at the bigger picture.
00:28It's no longer just about strikes and retaliation.
00:31The real question now is attrition.
00:34How much longer Iran can sustain these strikes?
00:37Now, Iran's strength lies in missiles and drones.
00:42Analysts believe Iran has one of the largest missile arsenals in the Middle East
00:46with around 2,500 ballistic and cruise missiles.
00:51It also produces large numbers of attack drones, which are cheaper and easier to replace.
00:56But the real target here is not just military.
01:00What we are seeing from Iran is a strategy focused on escalation based on pressure
01:06to pressure economic points vital to Gulf states,
01:10which are shipping routes, oil and gas infrastructure, commercial trade flows.
01:15The aim, it appears to be, is to raise the economic cost of conflict
01:19and force powers within and outside of the conflict to reconsider escalation.
01:24So, for instance, Qatar has suspended LNG production two days ago,
01:28causing a massive leap in prices after Iranian strikes hit Gulf energy facilities.
01:34But sustaining that kind of pressure campaign takes resources,
01:37which will bring us back to the question of attrition.
01:40How long can Iran keep this up?
01:43Now, and what firepower is the Iranian regime is up against in the region?
01:48So, across the Gulf and the wider Middle East,
01:51the United States maintains a significant military presence here.
01:55There are around 40 to 50 percent thousands of American troops stationed across bases in Qatar,
02:02Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE and other regional facilities.
02:05And key hubs include Al-Udet Air Base in Qatar,
02:11which serves as a major U.S. command center for operations in the region.
02:15Now, the U.S. Navy's fifth plate is based in Bahrain also,
02:20here overseeing naval operations across the Gulf.
02:24And at the sea, the United States has currently two aircraft strike.
02:28Among them, U.S. has fought, world's largest aircraft carrier.
02:33But the key question now may not be Washington or Tehran.
02:36It is the Gulf states caught in the middle.
02:39They have made it clear before the war that they want,
02:42no part of it, but these countries sit directly along critical trade and energy routes.
02:49Shipping already disrupted in the Strait of Hormuz.
02:51Oil and gas production is also affected.
02:54Now, thousands are still stranded in major airports in Dubai, UAE,
02:58as airspace remains closed.
03:01So now, Hafiz, that puts Gulf governments in a difficult position.
03:04They are facing two choices, really.
03:06One option is to pressure the United States to de-escalate and prevent a wider conflict.
03:12The other is to align more closely with Washington,
03:15potentially becoming more directly involved in confronting Iran.
03:18Either way, the longer this conflict drags on,
03:21the greater the risk that the region itself becomes pulled into the crisis, Hafiz.
03:26Yes. Thank you, Amirul, for that explanation.
03:29We'll definitely keep an eye on this as it develops further.
03:34Now, moving on...
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