At the recent Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Majed Al Ansari, an adviser to Qatar’s Prime Minister, highlighted a stark reality regarding modern regional security: a single drone costing roughly $100,000 was enough to slash Qatar’s LNG production capacity by 17 percent. These attacks, which disrupted over a fifth of the global LNG supply during the height of the crisis, underscore how inexpensive technology can pose significant threats to critical energy infrastructure. Despite these vulnerabilities, Al Ansari noted that over 90 percent of such strikes were successfully thwarted, ensuring that regional nations did not have to resort to their strategic reserves or face internal shortages.

During the panel discussion, experts including former US Fifth Fleet commander Vice Admiral John Miller emphasized that traditional naval power is increasingly challenged by asymmetric threats. Small boats and low-cost drones can easily disrupt vital shipping chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that military force alone is insufficient without a broader diplomatic and economic strategy. As the Hili Forum continues to explore these complex security dynamics, participants are increasingly calling for more cohesive collective action to address the strategic gaps that have been exposed in the wake of recent regional tensions.