By Peter Barabas & Doha and Dubai bureaus
Published on
08/07/2026 - 13:43 GMT+2
The Gulf countries are bracing for a rapidly deteriorating security situation following the new military escalations over the last 24 hours, after the US and Iran exchanged fire and Tehran attacked Kuwait and Bahrain and issued fiery warnings, culminating with US President Donald Trump’s stark announcement at the NATO summit in Ankara that he thinks the US-Iran ceasefire is "over".
The Gulf has once again issued rapid-fire statements condemning Iran for the latest escalations, but with a reasoned approach that should leave the door open to the difficult diplomatic path ahead.
