UAE Adviser Says Attacks on Saudi Arabia Threaten Gulf Security
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash says attacks on Saudi Arabia threaten the security of all Gulf states and called for stronger collective security and defense cooperation.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said on Monday that attacks targeting Saudi Arabia undermine the security of the UAE and other Gulf states, calling for stronger collective security and renewed cooperation on defense.
Writing on X on Oct. 12, Gargash argued that recent attacks against Gulf states had demonstrated that the security of countries in the region could not be treated separately.
"Since the onset of the aggression against the Arab Gulf states, stemming from the aggressor's misguided assessment that they were the weakest link in a war we sought to avoid, it has become clear that we are all targeted, and that our security is indivisible," Gargash wrote.
He added that "targeting the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia undermines the security of the UAE and all Gulf states."
His remarks come amid heightened regional tensions following repeated attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
A major attack on the airport on Saturday killed 12 people and wounded 309, according to Saudi authorities.
Read More: Saudi Coalition Vows Response After Deadly Riyadh Airport Strike
Saudi Arabia blamed Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis for the attack, while the Houthis later warned that Saudi airports and airspace remained exposed to military action, with the exception of airports in Mecca and Medina.
Read More: Saudi Airports Remain Military Targets, Houthis Warn
Another projectile struck a terminal at the Riyadh airport on Sunday, while Saudi air defenses also intercepted a cruise missile near the facility, according to Saudi officials cited in earlier Kurdistan24 reporting.
Read More: Riyadh Airport Hit Again as Saudi Arabia Suspends Flights After Deadly Houthi Attack
Gargash said the attacks exposed weaknesses in the Gulf's collective security arrangements and argued that greater coordination was now necessary.
"There is a pressing need to revive joint Gulf action, particularly in its security and defense aspects, and to strengthen the collective security framework," he wrote.
He said shortcomings in that area had encouraged other actors to become more aggressive toward Gulf states.
"This is the dimension that has witnessed grave neglect, which has emboldened others to overreach against us," Gargash said.
His comments frame the attacks on Saudi Arabia not simply as a bilateral security issue between Riyadh and its adversaries, but as a broader challenge affecting all Gulf states.
The UAE has already condemned the attack on King Khalid International Airport, describing it as a violation of Saudi sovereignty and expressing support for measures taken by Riyadh to protect its security and stability.
The airport attacks have also affected civilian life and international travel.
Operations at King Khalid International Airport were suspended following the strikes, while several foreign governments warned their citizens against using the facility. Schools across Riyadh were also shifted to remote learning for the week.
The Houthis, meanwhile, have warned airlines, aviation personnel and travelers against using much of Saudi airspace, saying Saudi airports remain part of what the group considers its military theater.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have seen a sharp escalation in hostilities as fighting intensifies in Yemen, where Saudi-backed government forces are confronting Houthi forces.
Gargash did not outline specific new defense measures that Gulf governments should adopt, but his statement called for stronger institutional cooperation and a more effective collective security system.
He concluded by stressing that regional security could no longer be approached individually.
"Gulf security is a shared responsibility that brooks no leniency or delay," Gargash said.
His remarks add to growing calls across the region for closer security coordination as attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure raise concerns that the conflict could have wider consequences for neighboring Gulf states.