Gulf

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

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

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.

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

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

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


Iran, Russia spar over ‘non-negotiable’ Gulf islands

Russia issued a joint statement with the Gulf Cooperation Council in support of the UAE's initiative to reach a peaceful agreement on the three Gulf islands.

 Russian President Vladimir Putin sits next to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (not pictured) in Tehran, Iran July 19, 2022.

As Turkey's leader tours the Gulf, the region is showcasing its global influence - analysis

While the countries in question may have issues between each other, the overall sense of these visits with the GCC and Turkey, is how united the region is.  

 Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Turkish drone-maker Baykar, and Khaled bin Hussein Al-Bayari, Saudi Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, attend a signing ceremony in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia July 18, 2023

Saudi Arabia buys Turkish drones during Erdogan's visit

Erdogan arrived in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah on Monday for the first stop of a Gulf tour.

 Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 17, 2023

Turkey’s Erdogan in historic three-country Gulf trip - analysis

Ankara’s diplomatic offensive is part of a wider diplomatic era in the region in which the Syrian regime is returning to the Arab League and Iran is doing more outreach.

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters following his victory in the second round of the presidential election at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey May 29, 2023.

Iran tested suicide drone in Gulf, US official says

The one-way drone was launched on Wednesday from the Jask area of Iran against a practice barge, the official said.

 A drone is seen next to an Iranian missile during the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2023

Israel is well-positioned in the new Middle East - analysis

This week Israel announced a huge success in defense exports - in 2022 those exports were more than $12 billion.

 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on June 13, 2023

Voices from the Arab press: Eliminating the supply chain of drugs

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

 STUDENTS TRAIN in the Drug and Poison Division of King Fahad Security College, in Riyadh.

UAE says it withdrew from US-led maritime coalition two months ago

The Combined Maritime Forces is a 34-nation task force working on security, counter-terrorism and counter-piracy in the Red Sea and Gulf areas.

 Ships from partner nations of Combined Task Force North participate in a photo exercise during a 60-nation International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2022 (IMX/CE22), in the the Arabian Gulf, Middle East, in this photo taken on February 9, 2022 and released by the U.S. Navy on February 10, 202

France, US, UK's show of naval strength against Iran in the Persian Gulf - analysis

Cooper said that “the Paul Hamilton team is doing remarkable work as we step up our patrols with regional allies and partners…This effort is about enhancing our collective vigilance and presence.” 

Master-At-Arms 1st Class Julius Earl stands watch with an M240B machine gun on the fo'c'scle of the guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region, during a Strait of Horm

Indian businesses invest billions in GCC

Experts disagree on the extent to which the Indian investments benefit the local economies

 Saudi Arabia hosts a meeting of foreign ministers from Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to discuss Syria's return to the Arab League in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 14, 2023.