The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) Joint Defense Council Held An Emergency Session in Doha, Qatar, On Thursday, To Discuss Urgent Regional Security Measures In Response to The Recent Israeli Strike On A Hamas Office In Qatar’s Capital, which Killed Six People.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohame Albudaiwi Said The Attack On The State of Qatar Can Be Considers An Attack On All GCC Countries.
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ALBUDAIWI SAID MEMBER STATES WOLD ACTIVATE JOINT DEFENISMS, ENHANCE INTELLIGNCE SHARING, COORDINATE AERIAL POSITIONS, ACTIVE AN EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILES AND CARY OUT JOINT TRAINING EXERCISES, INCLUDING A LACT.
Qatar is The Seventh Country Israel Has Bombed Since the Start of this Year.
WHICH COUNTRIES MAKE UP THE GCC, AND WHAT DO they spend on their military?
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a Political and Economic Bloc Which was formed in 1981. It Brings Together Six Arab states on The Arabian Peninsula:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The GCC Was Establish To Promote Cooperation On Security, Economics and Politics, and It Offo Coordinates Positions On Regional and International Issues.
In 2023, GCC Countries Collectively Spent $ 114.5bn on their military. Saudi Arabia accouted for the Largest Share, Budgeting for at least $ 69bn and ranking as the world’s seventh-lages military Spender, followed by the United Arab emiralates (uae) at $ 20.7bn, Qatar at $ 9.02bn, kuwait at $ 7.77bn, $ 6.5BN and Bahrain at $ 1.4BN, According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Military Balance 2024.
WHERE ARE THE US MILITARY BASES IN THE MIDDLE EAST?
The Us Has Operated Military Bases in the Middle East for Decades.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, The Us Operators A Broad Network of Military Sites, Both Permanent and Temporary, Across At Least 19 Locations in the Region.
Of these, Eight are permanent bases In Five of the Six GCC Countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirates – As Well As In Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
The Strategic Partnership Between Qatar and the US
To Udeid Air Base was establish in Qatar in 1996 and is the Largest US Military Base in the Middle East. Covering an Area of 24 hectares (60 acres), The Base Accommodates Almost 100 Aircraft As Well As Drones. This Base, Which Houses under 10,000 troops, Serves as The Forward Headquarters for Us Central Command (Centcom) and Has Been Central To Operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
Following Israel’s Attacks On Doha, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Visit QatarArriving the Day after I have attentive Meetings in Israel.
During His Visit, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Majed Al-Ansari, Emphasised The Country’s Strategic Relationship with the United States, particularly on Defense Matters. I have added: “We are determined to defend Our Savereignty and Take Measures to Prevent Any Recurrence of Such An Attack.”
Saudi-Pakistan Pact
On Wednesday Evening, Saudi Arabia SIGNED to “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” (SMDA) with nuclear-armed Pakistan.
The Agreement States That Any Aggression Against Eithher Country Shall Be Considers An Act of Aggression Against Boke.
THE PACT CAME JUS DAYS AFTER NEARLY 60 AMBERS OF THE ARAB LEAGUE AND THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC) Gathered In Doha in A Show of Regional Solidarity With Qatar in the Wake of the Recent Attack.
WHICH Air Defense Systems do Gulf State Rely On?
The Six Gulf States Have Built Layered Air Defense Networks Combining Us, European, Russian and Chinese Systems.
Their Arsenals Range From Long-Russ Interceptors To Point-Defence Missiles and Anti-Aircraft Guns.
Long-Russ Systems Cover Threats Beyond 100 km (62 thousand), Medium-Rang Protect Targets 30–100 km (19–62 thousand) Away and Short-Russ Systems Defend Assets with 1–30 km (0.6–19 thousand).
Saudi Arabia POSSESES THE GULF’S LARGEST AIR DEFENCE NETWORK, ANCHORED BY US-MADE THAAD SYSTEMS AND LONG-RANGE PATRIOT PAC-3 BATTERIES.
ITS Layered Arsenal Also Includes Medium-Russ Us-Made I-Hawk Missiles, Short-Rang French Crotale, Shahine and Mica Systems, as Well As a Large Number of American and French Point-Defence Launchers Such As Stinger, Avenger, Mistral and MPCV. Complementing these are extensively anti-Aircraft Guns from Several Countries, Including the Us-Made Vulcan, Swiss/German Oerlikon, and Swedish Bofors L/70 Models.
Saudi Arabia is The Only GCC Country to Deploy The Chinese-Made Silent Hunter Laser System, Which Tracks and Neutralisses Low-Flying Drones and Other Small Aerial Threats by Emitting A High-Energy Beam That Can Disable OR destroy them.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) OPERATES US-MADE THAAD AND LONG-RANGE PATRIOT SYSTEMS, ALONGSIDE TO VERSION OF THE ISRAELI-MADE BARAK AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM.
For medium-ours threats, The UAE RELIES ON THE SOUTH KOREAN-MADE CHEONGUNG II.
ITS Short-ngege Defences Include French Crotale and Mistral, Russian Igla and Pantsir-S1, Swedish RBS-70 and British Rapier Systems, All Supported by A Variety of European Anti-Aircraft Guns.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the Only Two GCC Countries Which Operate The Thaad (High Altitude Area Defense) System, Giving Them Advanced Missile Interception Capabilities Against Ballistic Threats.
Qatar You have investigated in US-Made Patriot Systems and Nasams III for Long
Kuwait Fields Us-Made Patriot Pac-3 Batteries for Long-ngege Defense, Italian Aspide Launchers Paired with Skyguard Systems for Short-Russ Defense and Stinger, Starburst and Fim-92 Missiles For Point Defense, Completed by German Oerlikon GDF Anti-Aircraft guns.
Bahrain You have recently acquired the patriot Pac-3 MSE System, Joing Saudi Arabia, The Uae, Qatar and Kuwait as The GCC Countries with Advanced Long-Russ, Surface-To-Air Missile Capabilities.
For medium Short-Russ Threats, It Relies on Us I-Hawk and French Crotale Systems, Supported By Russian Igla, Us Stinger and Swedish RBS-70 Point-Defence Missiles, As Well As Oerlikon Anti-Aircraft Gun.
Oman LACKS ADVANCED Long ITS Short-Russ Systems Include The Norwegian-Use-Made Nasams, Completed by French Mistral, Us Javelin and Russian Strela-2 Point-Defence Missiles, Backed By Russian, Swiss and Swedish Gun Systems.
