LONDON, March 11. /TASS/. Arabian Peninsula monarchies may face food shortages due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times (FT) newspaper reported.

The Gulf countries import about 90% of their foodstuffs, according to the report. Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia receive around 70% of food products through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the British Royal Institute of International Affairs Chatham House’s (recognized as an undesirable organization in Russia) expert Neil Quilliam. Due to the actual blocking of the strait by Iran, countries in the region have begun to look for alternative ways of supplies through ports in the Red Sea, as well as to work out dryland and air routes.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit.