Should Taiwan worry about the US being bogged down in the Middle East again?

Any protracted war with Iran could divert military supplies and attention from the Asia-Pacific, analysts say

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The USS Nimitz was diverted from the South China Sea to the Middle East to boost the US presence in the region. Photo: AFP/DVIDS

Published: 6:00am, 24 Jun 2025Updated: 8:23am, 24 Jun 2025

A US war in the Middle East could leave its armed forces stretched too thin to respond swiftly to a Taiwan Strait crisis, analysts on the island warned after the US launched multiple precision strikes on nuclear-related sites in Iran on the weekend.

While US President Donald Trump was quick to describe the operation as a “very successful attack”, defence analysts and lawmakers in Taipei suggested that American attention could be diverted from the Taiwan Strait.

Their core concern: that the United States, already deeply engaged in supporting Ukraine, would have fewer military resources and less political bandwidth to respond swiftly should Beijing move against Taiwan.

“There’s no question Taiwan remains a core US interest,” said Li Da-jung, professor of international relations at Tamkang University in New Taipei City.

“But if America finds itself managing two major conflicts at once, we have to ask: how many resources can it realistically spare for us, should Beijing choose that moment to act?”

Li said that even though the Trump administration withdrew support for Ukraine earlier this year, support for Israel in the face of Iranian threats might now take priority, with ripple effects on supplies for Taiwan.

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