Gulf

Iran's missile arsenal, not Gulf deterrence, is the Middle East's real problem - opinion

Iran has not only built a massive missile program; it has turned missiles into a standalone strategic language, using them as a deterrent, a means of pressure, and a message of influence.

 Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa attend a group photo session with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.
This aerial photograph shows boats anchored off Oman's northern Musandam Peninsula near the Strait of Hormuz on June 27, 2026.

Iran using Gulf attacks to force control over Strait of Hormuz shipping, analysts warn

VESSELS AT the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 24, 2026.

Netanyahu, Trump hold phone call about Iran conflict, F-35s to Turkey

VESSELS AT the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 24, 2026.

Iran threatened 'massive response' after US strikes southern Iran, sirens sounded in Gulf states


US to make Iranian assets available for repairs in Gulf states that were damaged in Iranian attacks

This after US Treasury Secretary Bessent directed a team to assess conditions among Gulf allies, assessing costs for damage inflicted by Iran.

Fire and smoke rise in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, UAE, March 4, 2026; illustrative.

Gulf states and Netanyahu: Shifting dynamics in Washington’s corridors - opinion

Gulf leaders are using their growing influence in Washington to press President Trump away from Netanyahu’s war footing and toward a regional settlement tied to the Palestinian issue.

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman (R) receives Bahrain’s King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa ahead of an exceptional meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council – the first in-person meeting of Gulf leaders since their states became a front in the Iran war two months ago – in Jeddah, April 28.

Iran's escalation against Gulf states raises concerns it feels safe attacking neighbors - analysis

Iran claimed this is “conducted in response to a series of US military attacks.”

Iranians walk past an anti-US mural in Tehran on June 3, 2026.

US pushing Oman to break ties with Iran, sees neutrality as threat - report

The report comes less than a week after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it joined Iran's planned tolling of the Strait of Hormuz.

The flags of Oman and Iran fly along a highway in Muscat during the visit of the Iranian president on May 27, 2025.

Cargo vessel struck by drone attack in Gulf, Iraqi officials say

Two explosions struck a cargo vessel near Iraq’s Umm Qasr, with officials saying one was caused by a drone attack.

An oil tanker is seen after it was attacked at the Gulf of Oman

Beyond embassies: Israel can deepen regional cooperation without recognition - opinion

Between normalization and isolation, Israel could pursue structured economic ties that build real partnerships without formal embassies.

US President Donald Trump gestures at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, March 11, 2026.

Iran’s extremist ideology raises global security concerns - opinion

From Israel to South Asia, fears are growing that Iran’s ideological influence is fueling extremism and instability.

 ‘A MONSTER’ – Members of the IRGC attend a ground forces military drill in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran in 2022.

Inside the perfect storm: Windward on the hidden war reshaping the oceans

From the White House to global shipping desks, they all call Windward. CEO Ami Daniel on what's really happening in the Strait of Hormuz.

Gambia-flagged tanker vessel Bili is pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, May 2, 2026.

US conducts 'self-defense strikes' in southern Iran as IDF strikes on Hezbollah intensify

Iran's president orders reopening of international internet access • IDF strikes city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, following surge in Hezbollah drone attacks

US President Donald Trump as he points while delivering remarks about health care costs and affordability from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, DC, US, May 18, 2026.

Gulf states couldn't bear cost of another war, pressure Trump to avoid attacking Iran - analysis

The Gulf countries, meanwhile, understood that they would bear much of the immediate cost of restarting the war against the Islamic regime.

US President Donald Trump attends a GCC summit photo session in Riyadh, alongside Qatari, Saudi, and  Bahraini leaders, May 2025.