Alarms about the withering of America's security umbrella perhaps rang loudest in Arab capitals after a 2019 attack on the heart of the Saudi economy prompted a reaction from Washington that was whimpering at best.

The thinking was that if Donald Trump, arguably the US President closest to Gulf states to date, couldn't help them, then no American administration would. The US was seen as abandoning the Middle East.

Blamed on Iran, the brazen predawn attack on state-run oil giant Saudi Aramco's facilities knocked off half of Saudi crude output, sending oil prices climbing 19.5%, the most on record.

Historically, an unwritten agreement between America and its oil producing Arab allies stipulated that the US would provide protection in return for a steady supply of crude to the global economy from a region that is home to more than two-thirds of the world's proven oil reserves. The US has often leaned on the Gulf states to adjust output if the price of a barrel doesn't suit its economic interests, and Arab states have often obliged.

But Arab concern about the unraveling of this arrangement has led to stubbornness when it comes to Arab oil policy and, perhaps more importantly, it has prompted some countries to address the very sources of threats to their security.

The United Arab Emirates, which had been militarily active in several regional hotspots, last summer opted to steer its foreign policy towards "good neighborliness" and economic interests. It began talks with regional foes such as Iran, reconciled with Turkey, reached out to regional pariah Syria, and signed a peace agreement with Israel. The message was that the foreign policy would work to future-proof its economy as well as its security.

But a shock came in January, when it became the target of fatal attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebel group two years after it began withdrawing its military forces from that country. The Iran-backed Houthis said the strikes were in response to continued Emirati interference in Yemen's affairs.

The United States, which has been trying to reach a new nuclear agreement with the Houthis' patrons in Tehran, found itself thrust back into the region's spotlight. President Joe Biden, who had removed the Houthis from the US terror list less than a month into taking office in 2021, said he would reconsider the move. The UAE, one of America's closest allies in the region, pushed for more action, including military support.

And the US has so far obliged. This month, it sent Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, to the UAE to reinforce the country's defenses by helping it target drones before they are launched. It is also deploying a destroyer with guided missile defense capabilities to patrol the UAE's waters, and a squadron of F-22 fighter jets arrived in Abu Dhabi this week.

With its immediate focus on Russia's troop buildup on Ukrain's borders, , as well as its medium-to-long term eye on China's growing power, the United States' military interests are shifting away from the Middle East. A conclusion of the Iran deal is likely to dampen its threat perception and the very reason for its strong presence in the region, leading to a further disengagement.

But, wary of leaving a security vacuum for its adversaries to fill, the message America appears to be sending Gulf states is that while it may be leaving, it will be back as the need arises.