Commentators note that Tehran's pressure in the Middle East is increasingly straining its relations with Gulf states. This follows Iran's direct attack on Saudi Arabia, which led Riyadh to expel Iran's military attaché and four embassy staff; a new wave of drone and ballistic missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saudi territory, and their control of strategic islands near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait; and the postponement of Oman-brokered talks, with Bahrain stating it will not participate. These events collectively expose a core contradiction in Iran's regional strategy: whether it can continue to exert pressure through its regional networks while maintaining stable diplomatic relations with its Arab Gulf neighbors.