Doha: Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting Gulf capitals over the weekend have shaken the region’s long-standing image as a bastion of stability, raising fears of a wider regional war and forcing Gulf states into a difficult strategic dilemma.
Missiles and intercepted debris reportedly struck parts of Doha, Dubai, Manama and Kuwait City, damaging infrastructure and injuring dozens. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman confirmed casualties, while Saudi Arabia reported strikes on Riyadh and its eastern region.
The attacks came after a large-scale joint US-Israeli operation that Iranian state media said killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior commanders. Tehran described its missile barrage as retaliation against US military assets and Israel, saying it did not intend to target host nations.
Regional leaders, however, voiced alarm and urged restraint.
Former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani warned in a statement on X that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states “must not be dragged into a direct confrontation with Iran,” despite what he described as violations of sovereignty.
He called on GCC members to act in unity against aggression while avoiding becoming directly embroiled in the conflict.
Analysts say Gulf governments now face a stark choice: retaliate and risk appearing aligned with Israel, or refrain from military action while their territory comes under fire.
Monica Marks, a professor at New York University Abu Dhabi, said the strikes on Gulf cities were unprecedented and deeply unsettling for regional populations accustomed to relative calm.
Rob Geist Pinfold of King’s College London noted that GCC states had lobbied against escalation and had sought diplomatic channels to prevent conflict, including indirect talks mediated by Oman.
Despite these efforts, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the operation aimed to counter what he termed an existential threat.
The Gulf states now weigh options that include acting collectively through mechanisms such as the Peninsula Shield Force, the GCC’s joint military framework, rather than opening their airspace for US or Israeli operations.
Observers warn that the region’s critical infrastructure — including energy facilities, desalination plants and power grids — remains vulnerable. The Gulf supplies a significant share of global oil and gas, much of it shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, making any prolonged conflict a matter of international concern.
While some analysts fear lasting damage to the Gulf’s reputation as a safe hub for investment and tourism, regional officials insist that the GCC has historically adopted a defensive posture and prioritised diplomacy.
The unfolding crisis marks a significant shift in Middle Eastern security dynamics, with direct state-to-state confrontation replacing years of proxy and grey-zone conflict.
For now, Gulf leaders are recalibrating their positions, seeking to protect sovereignty and stability while avoiding deeper entanglement in a rapidly escalating war.