Gulf bloc establishes unified forward military command in Kuwait to counter regional threats

• The resolution was adopted during the 23rd session of the GCC Joint Defense Council convened in Manama
• GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemned Iranian attacks that damaged civilian infrastructure

Defense ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have approved the establishment of an advanced headquarters for the GCC Unified Military Command in the State of Kuwait and assigned dedicated forces to support the mission, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi announced on Tuesday.

The decision was adopted during the 23rd session of the GCC Joint Defense Council held in the Bahraini capital of Manama, presided over by Bahrain’s Minister of Defense Affairs, Lieutenant General Abdullah bin Hassan Al-Nuaimi, and attended by defense ministers from across the six member nations.

Albudaiwi noted that the establishment of the Kuwait forward command aligns with directives issued by Gulf heads of state during their extraordinary summit in Jeddah last April, aimed at bolstering joint deterrence and operational readiness against shared regional threats.

Addressing recent security developments, Albudaiwi condemned Iranian strikes targeting GCC member nations that damaged civilian properties and vital infrastructure.

He further denounced attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia, specifically condemning strikes aimed at holy sites as flagrant violations of Islamic sanctity and Saudi sovereignty.

Reaffirming the bloc's mutual defense doctrine, Albudaiwi said that Saudi Arabia's security is inseparable from the collective security of all GCC states, pledging full solidarity with measures taken by Riyadh to safeguard its borders and critical assets.

The Secretary-General concluded by noting that the Manama ministerial session concluded with a slate of major defense agreements designed to elevate joint Gulf military integration to broader operational levels.