Iraq risks Arab ties as Iran-aligned groups strike Gulf nations
Joint Arab condemnation of cross-border attacks exposes Baghdad’s failure to control armed proxies on its soil.

Joint Arab condemnation of cross-border attacks exposes Baghdad’s failure to control armed proxies on its soil.


![A screenshot from a Kuwait Army video shows major damage caused by suspected Iranian drone strikes at Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait on March 28, 2026. [Kuwait Army/AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-1774731426.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following an Israeli strike, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the US-Israel conflict with Iran continued on March 27, 2026. [Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-1774640216.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)

![Fire engulfs a car at a site following Iranian missile barrages in central Israel, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 24, 2026. [Tomer Appelbaum/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-1774385553.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)


![US President Donald Trump sits inside a vehicle upon arrival at Memphis Air National Guard Base in Memphis, Tennessee, US on March 23, 2026. [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-1774298029.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)

There is expected to be pushback from Israel following President Donald Trump’s move towards de-escalation with Iran.

Iran says it launched multiple ballistic missile and drone strikes, targeting bases across Israel, UAE, and Kuwait.

The UK says Iran launched ballistic missiles at the joint US-UK Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.

The fate of an Iranian woman caught in a US-Israeli bomb attack is unknown, after video emerged of her filming it.

An explosion struck Jerusalem’s Old City seconds after sirens warned of an incoming Iranian missile.

Air raid sirens sounded across Kuwait City as Iran targeted US assets with missiles and drones.
Experts say while Gulf states need support in face of Iranian attacks, it is less clear what their allies can provide.

Israel has struck facilities belonging to the world’s largest natural gas field in Iran, marking a sharp escalation.
Trump has called on other navies to help open the strait, but countries are instead striking deals with Iran.
As the conflict intensifies, Taliban drones challenge Pakistan’s security and response strategy, say experts.