The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has approved a new joint forward-command center to deepen military integration among members, as doubts rise about the US's commitment to regional security amid the war on Iran.
The command center will be built in Kuwait, a Gulf state that endured thousands of missile and drone strikes from Iran and Iraqi militias aligned with Tehran. GCC secretary general Jasem al-Budaiwi said in a statement on Tuesday that the deployment of "appropriate" forces to the center would take place, but did not provide additional details.
The GCC body representing six Gulf states established a joint defense agreement in 2000, stating that an attack on one member is an attack on all. The GCC’s commitment to self-defense, however, is not as ironclad as that of the Nato military alliance.
US Army Central Command via APThe move could be seen as an effort to address the GCC's lack of a joint military command structure. The organization has failed to respond to attacks on members from several fronts.
The GCC did not respond when Israel attacked Hamas negotiators in Doha, Qatar, in September 2025. The organisation has also failed to respond to devastating Houthi missile and
