3 hours ago
3
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) Joint Defence Council held an exigency league successful Doha, Qatar, connected Thursday, to sermon urgent determination information measures successful effect to the caller Israeli onslaught connected a Hamas office successful Qatar’s capital, which killed six people.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said the onslaught connected the State of Qatar tin beryllium considered an onslaught connected each GCC countries.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 items- list 1 of 3GCC to activate defence mechanism; Doha acme slams Israel’s Qatar attack
- list 2 of 3Qatar’s emir visits Jordan to sermon practice aft Israel attack
- list 3 of 3‘Watershed’: How Saudi-Pakistan defence pact reshapes region’s geopolitics
AlBudaiwi said subordinate states would activate associated defence mechanisms, heighten quality sharing, coordinate aerial positions, activate an early-warning strategy against ballistic missiles and transportation retired associated grooming exercises, including a determination aerial unit drill.
Qatar is the seventh state Israel has bombed since the commencement of this year.
(Al Jazeera)Which countries marque up the GCC, and what bash they walk connected their militaries?
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is simply a governmental and economical bloc which was formed successful 1981. It brings unneurotic six Arab states connected the Arabian Peninsula:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The GCC was established to beforehand practice connected security, economics and politics, and it often coordinates positions connected determination and planetary issues.
In 2023, GCC countries collectively spent $114.5bn connected their militaries. Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest share, budgeting for astatine slightest $69bn and ranking arsenic the world’s seventh-largest subject spender, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) astatine $20.7bn, Qatar astatine $9.02bn, Kuwait astatine $7.77bn, Oman astatine $6.5bn and Bahrain astatine $1.4bn, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Military Balance 2024.
(Al Jazeera)Where are the US subject bases successful the Middle East?
The US has operated subject bases successful the Middle East for decades.
According to the Council connected Foreign Relations, the US operates a wide web of subject sites, some imperishable and temporary, crossed astatine slightest 19 locations successful the region.
Of these, 8 are imperishable bases successful 5 of the six GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – arsenic good arsenic successful Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
(Al Jazeera)The strategical concern betwixt Qatar and the US
Al Udeid Air Base was established successful Qatar successful 1996 and is the largest US subject basal successful the Middle East. Covering an country of 24 hectares (60 acres), the basal accommodates astir 100 craft arsenic good arsenic drones. This base, which houses immoderate 10,000 troops, serves arsenic the guardant office for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been cardinal to operations successful Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
Following Israel’s attacks connected Doha, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Qatar, arriving the time aft helium attended meetings successful Israel.
During his visit, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, emphasised the country’s strategical narration with the United States, peculiarly connected defence matters. He added: “We are determined to support our sovereignty and instrumentality measures to forestall immoderate recurrence of specified an attack.”
US President Donald Trump gestures connected signifier arsenic helium tours the Al Udeid Air Base connected May 15, 2025, successful Doha, Qatar [Win McNamee/Getty Images]Saudi-Pakistan defence pact
On Wednesday evening, Saudi Arabia signed a “strategic communal defence agreement” (SMDA) with nuclear-armed Pakistan.
The statement states that immoderate aggression against either state shall beryllium considered an enactment of aggression against both.
The pact came conscionable days aft astir 60 subordinate states of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) gathered successful Doha successful a amusement of determination solidarity with Qatar successful the aftermath of the caller attack.
A handout representation provided by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) connected September 17, 2025, shows Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) gathering with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif up of their gathering successful Riyadh (AFP)Which aerial defence systems bash Gulf states trust on?
The six Gulf states person built layered aerial defence networks combining US, European, Russian and Chinese systems.
Their arsenals scope from long-range interceptors to point-defence missiles and anti-aircraft guns.
Long-range systems screen threats beyond 100 km (62 miles), medium-range support targets 30–100 km (19–62 miles) distant and short-range systems support assets wrong 1–30 km (0.6–19 miles).
(Al Jazeera)Saudi Arabia possesses the Gulf’s largest aerial defence network, anchored by US-made THAAD systems and long-range Patriot PAC-3 batteries.
Its layered arsenal besides includes medium-range US-made I-Hawk missiles, short-range French Crotale, Shahine and MICA systems, arsenic good arsenic a ample fig of American and French point-defence launchers specified arsenic Stinger, Avenger, Mistral and MPCV. Complementing these are extended anti-aircraft guns from respective countries, including the US-made Vulcan, Swiss/German Oerlikon, and Swedish Bofors L/70 models.
Saudi Arabia is the lone GCC state to deploy the Chinese-made Silent Hunter laser system, which tracks and neutralises low-flying drones and different tiny aerial threats by emitting a high-energy beam that tin disable oregon destruct them.
(Al Jazeera)The United Arab Emirates (UAE) operates US-made THAAD and long-range Patriot systems, alongside a mentation of the Israeli-made Barak aerial defence system.
For medium-range threats, the UAE relies connected the South Korean-made Cheongung II.
Its short-range defences see French Crotale and Mistral, Russian Igla and Pantsir-S1, Swedish RBS-70 and British Rapier systems, each supported by a assortment of European anti-aircraft guns.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the lone 2 GCC countries which run the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) system, giving them precocious rocket interception capabilities against ballistic threats.
(Al Jazeera)Qatar has invested successful US-made Patriot systems and NASAMS III for long- and medium-range aerial defence, portion its short-range defences diagnostic a premix of Russian Igla, US Stinger, Chinese FN-6 and French Mistral systems, supported by German Gepard and Skynex anti-aircraft guns.
Kuwait fields US-made Patriot PAC-3 batteries for long-range defence, Italian Aspide launchers paired with Skyguard systems for short-range defence and Stinger, Starburst and FIM-92 missiles for constituent defence, complemented by German Oerlikon GDF anti-aircraft guns.
Bahrain has precocious acquired the Patriot PAC-3 MSE system, joining Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait arsenic the GCC countries with precocious long-range, surface-to-air rocket capabilities.
For medium- to short-range threats, it relies connected US I-Hawk and French Crotale systems, supported by Russian Igla, US Stinger and Swedish RBS-70 point-defence missiles, arsenic good arsenic Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns.
Oman lacks precocious long- and medium-range rocket systems compared with different GCC countries. Its short-range systems see the Norwegian-US-made NASAMS, complemented by French Mistral, US Javelin and Russian Strela-2 point-defence missiles, backed by Russian, Swiss and Swedish weapon systems.
English (US) ·