UAE Expels Iranians as U.S.-Iran Conflict Disrupts Gulf Shipping

The diplomatic rift in the Persian Gulf has widened significantly as the United Arab Emirates began expelling thousands of long-term Iranian residents and shuttering Iranian-operated hospitals and schools. This move follows a series of Iranian retaliatory strikes against U.S. facilities in neighboring Gulf states, which appear to have backfired by pushing regional powers closer to the U.S. and Israel. Meanwhile, Qatar has warned of profound global energy impacts as it remains caught in the crossfire of ongoing missile exchanges. On the economic front, global oil prices have spiked following Iranian attempts to mine the Strait of Hormuz. While U.S. strikes have targeted military infrastructure on Kharg Island—a hub for 90% of Iran’s oil exports—officials maintain that oil production facilities have been spared. To secure the passage of approximately 20% of the world's oil supply, the U.S. is reportedly preparing warship escorts for commercial tankers. Domestically, the Trump administration and security officials are investigating potential links between the Middle East conflict and recent attacks on Jewish communities and a university shooting in Michigan. Uncertainty also surrounds Tehran’s leadership; a recent defiant address by the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, contained linguistic errors that fueled speculation regarding his health and the extent of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) control over his communications.