Ex-Obama advisor says Iran could target Gulf oil facilities as Trump blockade squeezes regime
The tension in the Middle East is sharpening again. Dennis Ross, a former advisor to President Obama, stepped forward on Sunday to outline what he calls a “worst-case scenario” for the region. As the Trump administration’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz tightens its grip on the Iranian economy, Ross suggests the regime might retaliate by aiming at the most sensitive targets in the Gulf states.
“The worst-case scenario… is they decide, ‘Ok, if we can’t export our oil now and can’t generate revenue, we will attack the most sensitive targets among the Gulf states,'” Ross explained during a broadcast on Misryoum. It’s a chilling thought, really. The smell of ozone and stale coffee hung heavy in the newsroom while we parsed the transcript—the threat isn’t just theoretical; it’s about putting direct pressure back on the U.S. to force a policy shift.
Ross went on to detail how Iran might target energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait. He argued that such strikes could temporarily cripple global oil production, though he thinks the regime would be careful. They probably won’t touch their own facilities at Kharg Island. Actually, wait—it’s not about their own facilities, it’s about why they need that island. He says they need to be able to “hold” that resource. It’s a strategic move.
Maybe the blockade is safer than a full seizure. That was his point, or maybe he was just justifying the current strategy—it’s hard to tell without more context. He noted, “Our blockading is an alternative to us seizing Kharg Island. We can seize it, but then our forces there would be quite vulnerable.”
Trump’s “all-or-nothing” blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was announced Sunday morning. He told Misryoum that every country faces a binary choice: either full access or none at all, with zero exceptions for allies. It follows a weekend of failed peace talks in Pakistan, which leaves the diplomatic path looking pretty thin right now.
“This thing can spin out of control unless we’re capable enough of preventing that,” Ross added, stressing that the U.S. must be prepared to defend those vulnerable energy hubs. The potential for escalation is high, and while officials are framing the blockade as a smarter move than direct military seizure, the ground remains unpredictable.