CORRESPONDENCE 28 April 2026 By Hamad Ali Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Abrar Al-Hasan Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait. The ongoing conflict between the US–Israel alliance and Iran has laid bare a crucial vulnerability for states in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): namely, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. For some, the Strait of Hormuz is more than a shipping route — it is a single point of failure. Access options Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from $1.95 to $39.95 Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Additional access options: Log in Learn about institutional subscriptions Read our FAQs Contact customer support Nature 652 , 1420 (2026)…