US Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfin has urged Gulf Arab states to resolve their differences and unify their military capabilities amid tensions with Iran.
"When a missile or drone launches from Iran, it will not be the right time to settle the grievances of the past. The right time is now, today," Goldfin told a conference of air force commanders in Dubai.
"No country has everything it needs to defend itself on its own, but together we have everything we need for collective defense," he said.
"We have the strength to start this now because we are facing a common adversary who seems adhering to malicious behavior in the region."
Underlining the principle of collective security, Goldfein said the best chance to defend the UAE would be from Qatar or from neighboring Oman.
Washington sees the Gulf Arab dispute as a threat to efforts to contain Iran's influence and calls for a united front.
The United States accuses Iran of being behind a string of attacks in the Gulf in the past, including a missile and drones attack on Saudi Arabia on September 14 that temporarily cut the kingdom's oil production by half. Tehran denies involvement.