AGAINST the backdrop of Iranian aggression and the actions of its proxies across the region in recent months, the joint ‘Bahrain Shield’ exercise, involving the member states of the GCC, sent a clear message: Gulf security can no longer be built on reactive measures but on a collective deterrence system founded on political resolve, military integration and strategic partnerships. Such a framework safeguards development and stability while protecting the Gulf’s shared destiny in the face of regional threats .
