Thoughts While Watching a Distant War…

The news over the past few days has felt surreal.

On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated strike on Iran. Within hours, airstrikes were reported across Tehran and ballistic missiles were flying across the Gulf.

Just like that, the Middle East tipped into a major war.

What began as a series of strikes inside Iran has quickly spread across the region. Iran has responded with waves of drones and missiles targeting Israel and US bases across neighbouring Gulf states. At the same time, Tehran has threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Even the possibility of disruption there has already shaken global markets.

For most Bruneians, wars in the Middle East often feel distant. They unfold thousands of kilometres away, on television screens and social media feeds.

But distant conflicts can still carry real consequences for small countries like ours.

The Strait of Hormuz sits at the centre of the global energy system. Any instability there quickly affects oil prices and global trade. In the short term, higher prices may increase revenues for oil producers like Brunei. But they also bring volatility, rising shipping costs and uncertainty for the world economy.

There is also a deeper lesson.

Brunei is a small country in a complex region. Our strength has never depended on projecting military power abroad. Instead, it has depended on stability, diplomacy and careful partnerships.

The continuity provided by the Monarchy has also been an important anchor. In a world where many political systems swing rapidly between extremes, long-term leadership allows for steadier decision making.

Watching great powers stumble into prolonged conflicts is a reminder that restraint is often the wiser strategy.