Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain)
Regional nations targeted by Iranian missiles and drones and engaged in diplomatic backchannel negotiations.
Last refreshed: 14 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Iran attacked states that never joined its war. How do Gulf monarchies stay neutral?
Latest on Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain)
- What are the Gulf states?
- The Gulf states are the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. Together they host US military bases, control a large share of global oil exports, and sit astride the Strait of Hormuz.Source: background
- Why are the Gulf states involved in the 2026 Iran conflict?
- Gulf states host US military facilities that Iran designated as legitimate targets. Iranian missiles and drones struck UAE civilian infrastructure and the Shah Gas Field, making Gulf states involuntary participants in a conflict they neither instigated nor joined.Source: background
- What is the Strait of Hormuz and why does it matter to Gulf states?
- The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow waterway through which roughly 20% of global oil transits. Iranian threats to close it and the 70% drop in shipping traffic in 2026 directly threaten the Gulf states' export revenue and global energy markets.Source: background
- Which US military bases are in the Gulf states?
- CENTCOM's forward headquarters is in Qatar, the US Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, Al Dhafra Air Base is in the UAE, and Ali Al Salem Air Base is in Kuwait.Source: quick_facts
Background
None of the six participated in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, yet Iranian forces struck civilian infrastructure across the region regardless. Iranian Parliament speaker Ghalibaf threatened to render Gulf energy infrastructure irreversibly unusable. Brent Crude surged to $102-104 per barrel before partially recovering as markets priced in an extended Hormuz disruption.
The six Gulf Cooperation Council states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain) host the bulk of US military infrastructure in the Middle East, including CENTCOM's forward headquarters and the US Fifth Fleet. Their geography places them between Iran and the international order, making them security clients of Washington and energy partners of Beijing simultaneously.
Strait of Hormuz shipping is down 70%, with over 150 tankers anchored in open Gulf waters. The Gulf states are involuntary belligerents: absorbing Iranian retaliation for strikes they did not launch, reliant on a US missile-defence umbrella Washington is reportedly slow to replenish, and watching the Abraham Accords framework fracture. Markets briefly rallied on ceasefire rumours Tehran denied.
