Six Gulf Cooperation Council member states agreed to establish an advanced headquarters for the Unified Military Command in Kuwait, along with troop deployments to the facility, as reported by the GCC Secretary-General.
The announcement followed the 23rd meeting of the GCC Joint Defense Council in Bahrain, which brought together defense ministers from the regional bloc. No detailed schedule or operational timeline was released following the session.
The Unified Military Command was originally established during a summit in Kuwait in December 2013. Its mandate focuses on planning joint military operations and strengthening defense capabilities to protect member states against potential threats to their territory, airspace, and waters.
“We strongly condemn the dangerous attacks launched by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia, including those targeting holy sites,” Jasem al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC, told Al Arabiya.
The Joint Defense Council session took place in Manama, hosted by Bahrain. Lieutenant General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Nuaimi, Bahrain’s minister of defense affairs, chaired the session.
Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the military cooperation reflects a shared responsibility among member states to safeguard regional stability and independence. He added that the security of GCC countries remains indivisible.
The bloc unites six US-allied monarchies: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Gulf Arab states have faced repeated missile and drone attacks since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28. The conflict has disrupted air travel, maritime shipping, and vital energy exports.
Al-Budaiwi highlighted rapid regional developments, condemning what he termed Iranian attacks targeting civil infrastructure and GCC facilities. He stressed that joint military coordination strengthens the bloc’s capacity to protect its populations and resources.
The Gulf Cooperation Council includes six member states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Member states initially formed the Unified Military Command during a summit in Kuwait in December 2013 to coordinate joint defense operations.
The defense ministers agreed to place the advanced headquarters for the command in Kuwait, accompanied by troop allocations.
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