GCC agrees to set up military command post in Kuwait

The six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council agreed on Tuesday to set up a military command post in Kuwait and deploy forces there, Euronews and Al Jazeera reported. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi announced the decision following the 23rd meeting of the bloc's Joint Defence Council in Manama. Defence ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates attended the meeting. [1][2]

The new post in Kuwait will operate as part of the Unified Military Command of the GCC, which maintains its primary base in Riyadh, Euronews and Al Jazeera reported. The council did not state an opening date, the number of troops to be deployed, or their specific duties, according to Euronews. Al Jazeera reported that the bloc agreed to allocate appropriate military forces to the advanced headquarters. [1][2]

Gulf leaders stressed the necessity of strengthening defence coordination to meet regional challenges, Al Jazeera reported. The decision follows a US-Israel war on Iran that brought missile and drone strikes to Gulf states, disrupted regional trade, and highlighted vulnerabilities in energy infrastructure. [2]

Kuwait is located at the northern tip of the Gulf, bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia and facing Iran across the water, Euronews reported. The country has a population of approximately 5.1 million as of late 2026, and its economy is dominated by the oil sector, which accounts for over 90 percent of its export revenues. [1][8]