Arab Solidarity with Qatar After Iranian Missile Strike

Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
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Arab Solidarity with Qatar After Iranian Missile Strike

Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

In a unified show of Arab solidarity, several Gulf and regional nations strongly condemned Iran’s missile strike on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, denouncing it as a flagrant violation of international law, regional sovereignty, and the principles of good neighborliness.

Saudi Arabia led the regional response, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a sharply worded statement condemning the strike as an “unjustifiable and unacceptable act” that violated international norms. Riyadh reaffirmed its full support for Qatar, pledging to mobilize all available resources to assist its Gulf neighbor in any measures it deems necessary.

Bahrain echoed the Kingdom’s stance, condemning the IRGC’s aggression as a clear breach of Qatari sovereignty and airspace. Manama’s Foreign Ministry emphasized the “bond of brotherhood and blood” that ties Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, urging restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes while affirming its unwavering support for Doha.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack in the strongest terms, calling it a blatant violation of Qatari sovereignty and a dangerous escalation. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry expressed full solidarity with Qatar and underscored the importance of protecting civilians and maintaining regional stability. It warned that continued military provocations could lead the region into dangerous and irreversible consequences.

For its part, Kuwait described the strike as a “grave breach” of Qatari airspace and sovereignty. The Foreign Ministry declared its total support for Qatar’s leadership and people, backing their right to respond appropriately to such an attack. Kuwait also offered to mobilize its full capabilities to support its Gulf partner.

Oman, while emphasizing its commitment to de-escalation, also denounced Iran’s strike as a violation of the sovereignty of a fellow GCC member. Muscat pointed to Israel’s earlier unlawful strike on Iranian territory as a trigger for the current escalation and warned that expanding the conflict would only lead to greater instability and humanitarian suffering.

Iraq expressed deep concern about the intensifying regional conflict. Its Foreign Ministry called for immediate restraint, warning that the Iranian strike marked a dangerous turning point that could draw more actors into an already volatile confrontation.

The Secretary-General of the GCC, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, issued a strong statement condemning the Iranian missile attack as a violation of Qatari sovereignty and a threat to the collective security of the Gulf states. He stressed that Qatar’s security is inseparable from that of the entire GCC and called on the international community and the UN Security Council to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing actions.



UAE Envoy Says Aid to Gaza to be Scaled Up

Aid donated by the UAE for the people of Gaza is stored in a warehouse at the port of Limassol, Cyprus November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou P
Aid donated by the UAE for the people of Gaza is stored in a warehouse at the port of Limassol, Cyprus November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou P
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UAE Envoy Says Aid to Gaza to be Scaled Up

Aid donated by the UAE for the people of Gaza is stored in a warehouse at the port of Limassol, Cyprus November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou P
Aid donated by the UAE for the people of Gaza is stored in a warehouse at the port of Limassol, Cyprus November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou P

The United Arab Emirates is preparing to increase aid deliveries into Gaza, an envoy said on Friday, saying a sea corridor from Cyprus was essential alongside land and air access.

Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh said a maritime route channelling pre-screened aid from the East Mediterranean island was a vital lifeline to the people of Gaza. The UAE has partnered with Cyprus in supplying large quantities of aid to the Palestinian enclave, devastated by a two-year war, Reuters reported.

"Maintaining multiple entry points into Gaza remains incredibly important," Nusseibeh said after an inspection of aid accumulating at the port of Limassol in Cyprus.

"As this plan moves forward, access to Gaza by land, air and sea is going to remain critical," she told reporters.

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed a month ago to a first phase of a plan presented by US President Donald Trump. It paused a devastating two-year war in Gaza triggered by a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, and secured a deal to release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Despite the ceasefire, far too little aid was reaching Gaza, humanitarian agencies said on Tuesday.

Some 22,000 tons of pre-screened aid has been dispatched from Cyprus under the Amalthea Initiative launched last year. Some of it reached Gaza directly via a short-lived temporary pier set up by the US last year, while other shipments have been dispatched to the port of Ashdod in Israel.


Saudi Leadership Offers Condolences to Philippines President over Typhoon Victims

Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo
Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo
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Saudi Leadership Offers Condolences to Philippines President over Typhoon Victims

Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo
Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo

The Saudi leadership extended condolences to the President of the Philippines over the victims of Typhoon Kalmaegi, that left tens dead after it struck the central part of the country.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a cable of condolences to Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. expressing his sincere condolences and sympathy, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, sent a similar cable to Marcos Jr.

He expressed his condolences to the president, the families of the deceased, and the friendly people of the Philippines, wishing for the safe return of the missing and speedy recovery for the injured.


Saudi, US Forces Hold Joint Military Exercise

The drill aims to enhance operational readiness, exchange expertise, and strengthen integration in conducting joint operations across diverse combat environments. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry
The drill aims to enhance operational readiness, exchange expertise, and strengthen integration in conducting joint operations across diverse combat environments. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry
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Saudi, US Forces Hold Joint Military Exercise

The drill aims to enhance operational readiness, exchange expertise, and strengthen integration in conducting joint operations across diverse combat environments. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry
The drill aims to enhance operational readiness, exchange expertise, and strengthen integration in conducting joint operations across diverse combat environments. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Land Forces and the US Army have kicked off “Quincy-1,” a joint military exercise, at Fort Irwin, a major training base in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.

The drill aims to enhance operational readiness, exchange expertise, and strengthen integration in conducting joint operations across diverse combat environments.

Fort Irwin, one of the largest military training facilities in the United States, spans approximately 1,200 square miles in the heart of the Mojave Desert.