DUBAI: The six Gulf Cooperation Council states have approved the establishment of an advanced headquarters for their Unified Military Command in Kuwait and the deployment of “appropriate” forces to it, the bloc’s secretary-general said.
No further details on the headquarters or the forces to be deployed were immediately available. The GCC comprises the US-allied Gulf monarchies of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The announcement followed the 23rd meeting of the GCC’s Joint Defence Council, attended by defence ministers from the bloc’s member states, in Bahrain.
The GCC established its Unified Military Command at a summit in Kuwait in December 2013 to plan and manage joint military operations and strengthen member states’ defence capabilities against potential threats to their territory, airspace, waters and interests.
The Gulf Arab states, most of which host huge US military bases, have faced repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28.
The war has disrupted air travel and shipping, and raised concerns over the security of the region’s vital oil and gas exports.
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