Daijiworld Media Network - Doha

Doha, Sep 25: A dramatic Israeli “over-the-horizon” missile strike on Qatar’s capital has jolted the Gulf region and triggered fresh debate on a collective Arab defence strategy. Around ten Israeli fighter jets reportedly flew over the Red Sea on September 9 before firing ballistic missiles at a Hamas meeting in an upscale Doha neighbourhood, killing six people.

Because the missiles travelled through the upper atmosphere and returned undetected, Qatar had little chance to defend itself. The incident shook regional faith in the United States, despite Washington’s large Al Udeid air base in Qatar and its designation of the Gulf nation as a “major non-NATO ally.”

Analysts say the strike has spurred talk of an “Islamic NATO”. At an emergency summit of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Egyptian officials proposed a NATO-style joint task force, while Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called for collective regional security. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) invoked its 2000 joint defence pact, pledging that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Gulf defence ministers soon met in Doha to fast-track a ballistic missile warning system, enhance intelligence sharing and plan joint military exercises.

Saudi Arabia also announced a strategic mutual defence pact with Pakistan, declaring that aggression against one will be treated as aggression against both.

Experts caution, however, that a true NATO-style alliance is unlikely. “No Gulf ruler wants to be dragged into wars beyond their direct interests,” said Andreas Krieg of King’s College London. Instead, a quieter “6+2” format—bringing together the GCC states with Turkey and Egypt—is gaining traction, noted Cinzia Bianco of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Turkey already stations troops in Qatar, while Egypt’s reliability remains debated.

While Russia and China are potential partners, Gulf states remain reliant on US technology. Observers say deeper military integration will likely unfold discreetly through radar data-sharing and early-warning systems.

“The US is no longer viewed as the ultimate guarantor of Gulf security but as a conditional partner,” Krieg observed. “Gulf leaders are now exploring a Gulf-led security framework, balancing between Iran and Israel while keeping American systems at the core of their defences.”