On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military campaign against Iran, whose subsequent strikes targeted all GCC states. While US commanders considered the regional air and missile defence network validated in combat, the GCC continued to call for greater military integration and completion of its joint ballistic missile alert system. This apparent gap reflects the architecture’s hybrid nature: national capabilities coexist with GCC mechanisms, bilateral agreements and US functions. Although information-sharing and operational coordination have improved, authority over forces and resources remains largely national. The system enhances immediate protection but creates dependencies on shared alerts, data, command, interceptors and maintenance. Its resilience therefore depends on sustaining these functions under prolonged, high-intensity consumption.

Dr Firas Elias conducted a particularly in-depth investigation into the presence of Yemen’s Houthis in Iraq, focusing notably on their presence and activities, networks, modes of operation, missions, as well as their training arrangements and military cooperation mechanisms. Originally written in Arabic, this article provides a synthesis of this unique investigation, based largely on first-hand information gathered in the field. It thus offers unprecedented insight into how the Houthi presence in Iraq has been structured and how it has evolved.