Overcoming Division, Arab Gulf States Condemn Iran in Harmony After Being Struck by Missiles

Smoke began rising across the Persian Gulf region hours after the United States and Israel launched military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28. Following America’s opening salvo, Tehran launched retaliatory strikes against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as Jordan. All five countries are home to U.S. military bases. Oman, the site of the recent U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, was also hit.

Saudi Arabia issued a statement in support of its neighbors, condemning  “in strongest terms the blatant Iranian aggression” and confirming its “readiness” to support “any measures” undertaken in response. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS) phoned Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed (known as MBZ) to express his “full solidarity with the UAE” and reaffirm his country’s “readiness to provide all possible support” to Abu Dhabi. Riyadh reportedly authorized a counterattack on March 1 if Iran continues to retaliate.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states had publicly pressed the Trump administration to take its finger off the trigger but are now banding together in open alignment with Washington and against the Islamic Republic.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE Set Aside Their Differences

That Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are singing the same tune marks a tangible shift in their dynamic. Recently, a rift emerged between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over developments in Yemen, Sudan, and across the Horn of Africa. MBS reportedly raised the issue during his visit to Washington last November. According to Emirati officials, Trump called MBZ and told him that the Saudi crown prince had asked him to sanction the UAE over its support for the Rapid Support Forces — the Sudanese paramilitary group warring with the Saudi-backed Sudanese Armed Forces. The fallout intensified when Riyadh publicly accused Abu Dhabi of actions that threaten its national security.

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi’s coming together recalls the mid-2010s when the two countries acted in lockstep to roll back Islamist extremism and Iranian influence in the region. Their alliance, long regarded as the region’s strongest and most durable, was a stabilizing force.

Gulf Governments Change Their Tune From June 2025

Beyond Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the official rhetoric coming out of the Gulf is noticeably different from the region’s reaction to the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June 2025. Last year, governments across the GCC condemned Israeli action and lamented the Trump administration’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear program. Qatar issued a statement on June 22 expressing “regret” over the U.S. “attacks on the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran.” Kuwait “expressed its deep concern” over “the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities” and implicitly accused the U.S. military of violating “international laws and conventions.” The Saudi statement highlighted “the need to exert all possible efforts to exercise restraint” and “avoid further escalation” — a stark contrast to Riyadh’s current offer to “place all its capabilities” at the region’s disposal. The change may partly reflect the fact that Israel initiated the 12-Day War, whereas the United States launched this new campaign. However, their reaction also indicates that Arab capitals have concluded that Iranian conduct made an American attack unavoidable.

Maintaining Gulf Support Is Key

Solidarity within the Gulf and alignment with the United States are not inevitable. The GCC states can reasonably avoid being cheerleaders for America’s Operation Epic Fury just as they did during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025. The Trump administration must ensure that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait continue to stand together against any further Iranian violations of their sovereignty. A unified, resolute Gulf front will enhance the success of the joint U.S.-Israeli operation and further isolate an Iranian regime on the ropes. Washington should clearly articulate its objectives for Iran in the wake of the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and secure Gulf buy-in and eventual support for a new regime that will seek constructive relations with its neighbors and with the wider international community.

Edmund Fitton-Brown is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst. For more analysis from the authors, please subscribe HERE. Follow Edmund on X @EFittonBrown. Follow Natalie on X @NatalieEcanow. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.