The failure to militarily secure the Strait of Hormuz is a major strategic concession. It demonstrates a critical vulnerability and effectively hands Iran control over a global economic chokepoint, allowing them to wield immense leverage over international trade.

Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are ambivalent about US military action. Their primary fear is not a full-scale war, but a limited 'hit-and-run' strike where the US attacks and then diverts attention, leaving them 'naked and vulnerable' to Iranian retaliation without a long-term American security presence.

Despite the Strait of Hormuz closure being a long-theorized scenario, the US military response was 'insufficient' and lacked preparedness. Iran achieved a near-total shutdown with minimal force, relying on the *threat* of attack, revealing a significant gap in US strategic readiness.

The US attempt to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz failed because shipping companies lacked confidence in the limited protection offered. This rendered the operation a failure, with only two US-flagged vessels participating while hundreds remained behind, demonstrating that perceived credibility is paramount in such operations.

The US military action, especially the blockade of the Straits of Hormuz, is harming Gulf nations economically. Instead of strengthening an anti-Iran coalition, this 'half-baked' approach is eroding goodwill and pushing these crucial partners away, undermining the primary strategic benefit of the operation.

Once a symbol of American power, US bases are now vulnerable, above-ground targets for Iran's precision drones. This undermines the US's role as a regional protector and causes allies like Saudi Arabia to seek security guarantees elsewhere, turning assets into liabilities.

The US has long used the threat of military force to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. By failing to act despite a large naval presence, it has revealed this deterrent is hollow. This hands Iran a proven economic weapon and erodes the credibility of US power projection globally.

While the war highlights the danger of the US partnership, Gulf states are counterintuitively forced to deepen their reliance on American military support for immediate defense. This creates a strategic paradox: they need the US for short-term survival but see the alliance as a long-term liability.

Key US allies have incentives for America to enter a conflict with Iran but not win decisively. The ideal outcome for them is a weakened Iran and a distracted, overextended America that is more dependent on their cooperation. This subverts the simple narrative of a unified coalition, revealing a complex web of self-interest.