On 23 July 2026, the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Jordan issued a joint statement condemning Iranian missile and drone attacks on their territories, singling out Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan as the most recent targets. The statement, published by the GCC secretariat, described the strikes as “flagrant acts of aggression” that violate the UN Charter, international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 2817. It also accused Tehran of breaching explicit commitments made under a memorandum of understanding with the United States. The seven nations called on the Security Council to adopt an urgent resolution demanding an immediate halt to the attacks and recognising the right of affected states to individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Viewed from Gulf capitals, the attacks represent an unacceptable assault on sovereignty and a direct threat to civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, desalination plants, ports and airports. The joint statement expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and welcomed a decision by Iraq’s prime minister to confine arms to the state, a move seen in the region as curbing Iran-aligned militias. From Tehran, state-linked media framed the démarche as hypocritical, arguing that the signatory countries had provided their territory and airspace for US military operations against Iran while remaining silent on American and Israeli strikes. Iranian military commands had earlier warned that any further US attacks on infrastructure would trigger Iranian targeting of regional oil, gas and electricity facilities and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The diplomatic move coincided with a sharp military escalation. On the same day, Jordan’s armed forces engaged four Iranian missiles and six drones, Kuwait’s army responded to hostile drones, and air-raid sirens sounded in Bahrain. The US military has conducted strikes on Iran for twelve consecutive nights since a June ceasefire collapsed, and President Trump threatened on 22 July to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards subsequently reported an explosion in what they called a mined route south of the strait, declaring the waterway “completely closed” and warning that no tanker would be allowed to transit without Iranian coordination. The joint statement’s emphasis on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb directly addresses this threat to global energy trade.

The escalation follows the breakdown of a 14-point US-Iran deal signed on 12 June 2026, which had raised hopes for de-escalation. Instead, hostilities have widened, with US strikes extending from southern to western and central Iran, and Iran launching drones and missiles at what it describes as US targets in the region. The seven-nation bloc’s call for a Security Council resolution sets the stage for a diplomatic confrontation in New York, where Western powers are expected to push for a binding text. The statement also signals a readiness to pursue collective defence arrangements, potentially reshaping regional security alignments. The Security Council is expected to convene in the coming days, though the prospect of a resolution that satisfies all parties remains uncertain given deep divisions among permanent members.