Iranian Shiites have a saying, “Sag Sunni,” meaning Sunni Muslims are dogs—a phrase they do not use as a compliment. The recent military actions across the region have been framed as U.S.-Israel targeting Iran, yet President Trump highlighted during a White House appearance with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Iran has also attacked Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, and Kuwait. Reports indicate Iranian drones and missiles struck near a U.S. consulate in Dubai earlier this week.
The attacks extend beyond mere Iranian military missteps or attempts to target American bases. They reflect deep sectarian tensions between Sunni Islam—the faith of most regional royalty—and Shia Islam—the religion of Iran’s ruling clerics and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah. Iran, a Shiite nation with Sunni minorities, operates within this framework. The Sunni-Shiite divide frequently shapes Middle Eastern dynamics more than settler-colonialism or U.S. influence.
U.S. reactions to the campaign against Iran have been muted compared to opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack. Many U.S. mosques and activist groups, predominantly Sunni-aligned, have not organized large protests against strikes on Iran. Exceptions include New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Shiite Muslim who labeled U.S.-Israeli efforts “catastrophic” and an “illegal war of aggression.”
Brigadier General (Reserve) Amir Avivi, chair of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, stated the Iranian regime is acting “in an hysterical way… maybe in order to create some kind of pressure on the U.S.” yet counterproductively escalating tensions with Gulf states. A former Pentagon official with expertise in Muslim cultures, Harold Rhode, noted that Iran recently instructed Gulf nations not to allow U.S. military flights over their airspace or use bases targeting Iran. While Arab states initially complied, they later aligned with President Trump—considered the “strongest horse”—and ignored Iranian demands. This shift prompted Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
The divide runs deep: A religious Sunni barber shared that after October 7, 2023, he would have been killed by Hezbollah—a Shiite militia—before Israel could be threatened. Rhode explained that Shiites view Sunnis as “dogs,” not genuine Muslims but heretics. While intermarriage exists in countries like Kuwait and Bahrain, resentment persists, particularly in Saudi Arabia where Shiites dominate oil-rich eastern provinces under Sunni monarchs.
The split originated in 632 A.D., following Prophet Muhammad’s death—a conflict between Meccan aristocrats and his cousin Ali, who became the founder of Shia Islam. Despite historical differences, the sectarian divide remains a potent force today, with Iran launching missile strikes against Sunni-majority regions over a millennium after its roots began.