UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash urged Gulf countries to coordinate their response to regional attacks, warning that threats against one state pose risks to the wider region.
UAE Presidential Diplomatic Adviser Anwar Gargash has called on Gulf countries to strengthen security and defense cooperation following repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that threats against one Gulf state endanger the wider region.
In a post on X on Monday, Gargash said the attacks had demonstrated that Gulf countries shared common security risks and needed a coordinated response.
“Since the start of the aggression against the Gulf Arab states, based on the aggressor’s mistaken assessment that they were the weakest link in a war we had sought to avoid, it has become clear that we are all targets and that our security is indivisible,” Gargash wrote, referring to the wider US-Iran conflict and attacks on Gulf states.
He called for renewed regional cooperation, particularly in security and defence, and urged Gulf countries to strengthen their collective security arrangements.
“There is a need to revitalize joint Gulf action, particularly in its security and defense dimensions, and strengthen the collective security system,” he said, adding that shortcomings in this area had encouraged others to overstep.
Deadly Attacks on Riyadh Airport Raise Security Concerns
Gargash’s remarks came after repeated attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh during the previous week.
A strike on October 10 killed 13 people, including four Saudi nationals, and injured more than 300, according to the supplied report. A further attack on October 11 reportedly killed one Pakistani resident and injured 11 others.
The report puts the combined death toll from repeated attacks on the airport at 18.
The strikes have disrupted airport operations, with services temporarily suspended as authorities assessed the situation and addressed security concerns.
Saudi Flight Disruptions Continue
The attacks also affected air travel across Saudi Arabia. According to flight schedule data compiled by Cirium, 362 of the 1,048 scheduled departures in Saudi Arabia had been cancelled or marked as no-fly by 5.30 am UAE time on Monday. This represented 34.54% of scheduled departures.
The disruptions added to pressure on regional aviation as authorities responded to the security situation.
Gargash Needs Gulf States to Strengthen Collective Defence
Gargash’s comments underscore the UAE’s call for closer coordination among Gulf states as the wider US-Iran conflict affects regional security.
He argued that Gulf security could not be treated as a separate concern for individual countries, calling for stronger collective arrangements to address shared threats.
His appeal comes amid escalating tensions involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, with attacks on Saudi territory forming part of the broader regional conflict that began on February 28.
Gargash said renewed joint Gulf action, particularly in security and defence, was needed to address the region’s vulnerabilities and strengthen its collective response.
Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President. Photo: File photo
Source: Khaleej Times
