The Future of the Gulf’s Security Order

(Abdullah Alhenaki – Lawfare) When the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, the Gulf states found themselves entangled in a war they had not sought and actively tried to prevent. In the weeks before the attack, Oman had been mediating back-channel talks between Washington and Tehran, and Gulf capitals were cautiously optimistic about a diplomatic outcome. It did not matter. Within hours of the first strikes, Iran unleashed an unprecedented barrage across the region—the first time in history it had struck all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members simultaneously. With shaky ceasefire talks ongoing, the Gulf states are already planning for a postwar strategic posture while trying to push for favorable outcomes from the negotiations. – The Future of the Gulf’s Security Order | Lawfare