United States

Bahrain

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Military & Security

Politics

U.S.-Iran Relations

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded his three-day tour of Gulf countries with a visit to Bahrain, Reuters reported June 25.

U.S., Iran: Rubio Wraps Up Gulf Tour

Kuwait

United Arab Emirates

Iran conducted drone and missile attacks against Kuwait -- including Kuwait International Airport and unnamed diplomatic missions -- and Bahrain, resulting in one fatality and at least 63 injuries in Kuwait, including from debris and damage at an airport terminal, Reuters reported on June 3.

U.S., Iran: Latest U.S.-Iran Clashes Result in Iranian Attacks on Gulf Civilian Infrastructure

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom

The Gulf Cooperation Council and the United Kingdom signed a free-trade agreement (FTA) that, according to some estimates, could add $5 billion per year to the U.K. economy over the long term, the Financial Times reported May 20.

Global: GCC and the U.K. Sign Free Trade Agreement

Iraq

Tasnim News Agency, an Iranian news outlet linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published a report April 22 suggesting that Gulf states are vulnerable to sustaining damage to their undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

Middle East: Iranian Outlet Highlights Sabotage Threat to Persian Gulf Undersea Cables

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued an edict on April 19 to begin reviewing the citizenship of those who might have links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the first step in what might be a wider purge of the citizenship rolls.

Bahrain, UAE: Bahrain Reviews Citizenship Rolls, UAE Requests U.S. Currency Swap

Ukraine

Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was discussing security cooperation with Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, Reuters reported on April 10.

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv in Talks for More Security Cooperation With Gulf Countries

Iran struck targets in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced on April 7, Reuters reported on April 8.

MENA: Iran Strikes GCC Targets, Despite Ceasefire Announcement 

Iran launched attacks targeting two Gulf aluminum producers, Bloomberg reported on March 28.

UAE, Bahrain: Iran Strikes Two Major Gulf Aluminum Producers

Assessments

Yemen

Vessels are seen anchored along the Strait of Hormuz on June 18, 2026. 

By demanding investment pledges from Gulf states after threatening a 20% toll, the White House is signaling its defense of global trade routes is now a transactional service rather than a core strategic commitment.

Security as a Service: The Risks of Trump's Transactionalism in the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C, top) meets with GCC foreign ministers during his visit to the Middle East to discuss with Arab Gulf allies the interim deal between the U.S. and Iran on June 25 in Manama.

While Qatar and Saudi Arabia explore restoring trade ties with Iran, the United Arab Emirates is aligning its security with Israel and the United States.

Divergent Approaches to Iran Expose Gulf Arab Splits

Guests stand outside a model carriage of the "Dream of the Desert" ultra-luxury train on display during the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2025.

Efforts to create new export routes via railways and pipelines will be hampered by regional mistrust, uncertain commercial viability and long construction timelines, ultimately keeping Gulf states reliant on the Strait of Hormuz.

All Roads Lead to Hormuz: The Limits of Gulf Infrastructure Diversification

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Gulf states' push to employ more local citizens in the private sector will help advance their economies and reduce public wage bills, but it will also create new risks for businesses that have traditionally relied on cheap foreign labor.

The Future of Work in the GCC: Localization, Competition and Business Risks

The city skyline in Dubai is seen at sunset.

Although Gulf capitals are increasingly investing in mid-tier autonomy and offensive capabilities, achieving total strategic independence remains constrained by their enduring need for high-end American systems.

The Future of GCC Defense and Security Strategies in a Changing Middle East

Flatlining population growth will leave the Gulf Arab states reliant on specialized, high-tech militaries that are supplanted by foreign forces, exposing them to various long-term security vulnerabilities.

The Demographic Drag on Gulf States' Military Strength

The Burj Khalifa skyscraper (L) and the Burj al-Arab hotel (R) on March 11 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With further Iranian provocation, several Gulf Cooperation Council states would be willing to join the war against Iran, but doing so would likely deepen Iran's targeting of their critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and potentially pull the GCC into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Joining in could deepen Iran's targeting of GCC critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and pull the bloc into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Will the Gulf States Join the Iran War, and What Would Happen if They Did?

People walk along the corniche area on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026.

Global Trade

Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will compel Gulf Cooperation Council states to invest in alternative trade routes and more resilient physical infrastructure.

Gulf Arab States, Shaken by Iran War, Plan Economic Pivot

People attend the funeral of a person killed during an Iranian drone attack on a high-rise apartment building in Bahrain's capital, Manama, on March 10, 2026.

A sharp rise in domestic sectarian issues and disruptions to key exports through the Strait of Hormuz are converging to threaten the political and economic stability of the kingdom.

Iran War Exposes Bahrain to Fiscal Risks, Sectarian Tensions

The Crown Plaza on March 1 showing damage from an Iranian military strike in Manama, Bahrain. Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

The Implications of Iran's Attacks on the Gulf

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. and Qatari military personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, on May 15, 2025.

The U.S. president's pledge to defend Qatar may deter future Israeli attacks, but it is unlikely to deter Iranian aggression or allay Gulf states' greater concerns about Washington's commitment to their security.

Trump's Security Guarantees for Qatar Unlikely To Offer Enough Reassurance

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani chairing a preparatory meeting in Doha on Sept. 14, 2025, ahead of an Arab Islamic summit.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Sept. 9 strike on Qatar has amplified doubts among Gulf states about the reliability of U.S. security guarantees and Washington's ability to restrain its regional allies.

Israeli Strike on Qatar Prompts GCC States To Question Future of Regional Security

The island of Bahrain is the smallest country in the Persian Gulf, sitting just off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia and the western coast of Qatar. It has almost no forestry to speak of and very little arable land. The country's only natural resources are a dwindling supply of hydrocarbons.      But because Bahrain has an ancient natural oasis, it is also one of the oldest inhabited places in the Gulf; there is evidence that the island was host to the Dilmun civilization as far back as the 4th millennium BCE. Bahrain was often the base of great powers who sought to control the Persian Gulf, including the ancient Assyrians, the Safavid Persians and, most recently, the British Empire. The Safavid Persians left behind a large community of Shiite believers, although the island has been under the rule of a Sunni dynasty since the 18th century.     Bahrain's main geographic challenge is securing export routes through the narrow Strait of Hormuz so it can access the wider oceans, but it rarely has the strength to do this on its own. It also often becomes the pawn of greater powers and struggles to defend itself against invaders. The country thus seeks to ally itself with outside powers that will protect it and also allow it to export its hydrocarbons. Most recently, Bahrain also has sought allies that will also protect its Sunni dynasty from its Shiite majority, who have been agitating to gain more control of the country.

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Iran: Rubio Wraps Up Gulf Tour

U.S., Iran: Latest U.S.-Iran Clashes Result in Iranian Attacks on Gulf Civilian Infrastructure

Global: GCC and the U.K. Sign Free Trade Agreement

Middle East: Iranian Outlet Highlights Sabotage Threat to Persian Gulf Undersea Cables

Bahrain, UAE: Bahrain Reviews Citizenship Rolls, UAE Requests U.S. Currency Swap

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv in Talks for More Security Cooperation With Gulf Countries

MENA: Iran Strikes GCC Targets, Despite Ceasefire Announcement

UAE, Bahrain: Iran Strikes Two Major Gulf Aluminum Producers

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