The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) finds itself at a historic inflection point, not because it has suddenly chosen to rethink its strategic posture, but because the world it depended upon has begun to unravel in full view. For decades, the Gulf monarchies were embedded in a security architecture anchored in …

Over the course of six weeks of war between Iran, Israel, and the United States, Saudi Arabia’s restraint has perplexed some onlookers. After all, the war almost immediately spilled into the Persian Gulf. Iran’s retaliatory attacks on infrastructure in Gulf countries—and then Tehran’s closure and Washington’s subsequent blockade of the …

Cities and towns in northeastern Syria, particularly al-Hasakah and al-Qamishli, have seen a notable security escalation in recent days. It has included renewed security deployments on the streets, the spread of temporary checkpoints, tighter inspection procedures, field movements, and politically charged activities, with no official explanation from the Syrian Democratic …