People of the Gulf, beware

The recent escalation of tensions in our region compels me to reiterate a warning I have sounded for years about the threats we face, which jeopardize our security in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Today, more than ever, I sense we are on the brink of a significant confrontation in our area.

Following the Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah on Saturday, there are growing fears that a regional war could ignite. We might know when it starts, but we cannot predict how or when it will end.

Statements accusing Arab countries of aiding Israeli aviation in its attacks on Yemen are emerging. These accusations set the stage for a dangerous scenario, aligning with the long-standing incitement policy pursued by Iranian militia platforms in the region, including the Houthis in Yemen, the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq and Hezbollah in Lebanon. These groups accuse our Gulf nations of treason and issue explicit threats against us.

Despite our attempts to mend relations with the Iranian regime, its proxies continue to fight us.

Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor

Despite our attempts to mend relations with the Iranian regime, its proxies continue to fight us. Trust is impossible with those who practice duplicity in their dealings.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, in a televised speech, openly threatened Saudi Arabia, claiming it incited and funded Israel for its attacks on Hezbollah. The Houthis have vowed to strike Saudi Arabia again. And Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq provoke and threaten our countries with baseless accusations. Clerics there exploit Ashura’s commemoration, using platforms to spread lies against Gulf countries. Muqtada Al-Sadr’s recent speech is a glaring example of their provocations and insults, especially when he distorts verses of the Holy Qur’an, compares Najaf to Makkah and curses the Umayyads entirely, insisting on entering God’s house only through Ali’s gate.

Moreover, statements from Ahmed Alam Al-Huda, a member of Iran’s Council of Experts and representative of the supreme leader for Razavi Khorasan province, openly admit that Hezbollah, the Houthis, the Popular Mobilization Forces and others are working for Iran against the countries they are present in. He boasts that Iran has surrounded the Arabian Gulf nations with the goal of dismantling them.

Given that these militias are directed by Iran, one must question where the promises of a new relationship stand. Iran’s method of waging war through proxies indicates its aim to turn our Arab lands into battlegrounds to further its agenda.
Everything I am warning about today I highlighted decades ago, compiled into a book titled “Is Anybody Listening?” The fundamental question remains: What are we doing to counter the danger that threatens our security and existence?

We must revive the unification of our military forces within the Gulf as a deterrent against any acts of aggression. We are strong and not weak; our reach can extend everywhere, but we must remain vigilant and cautious.

I urge our leaders to focus on the Iraqi border, where the threat of an Iranian proxy war against us is brewing. Pay attention to the statements of the Iranian militia leaders in Iraq and their clerics. Understand the gravity of their threats and you will understand the urgency of my warnings.

We must act now to ensure we do not fail to recognize the seriousness of the situation before it is too late. But the question remains: “Is anybody listening?”
 

• Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor is a prominent UAE businessman and chairman of the Al Habtoor Group and Dubai National Insurance and Reinsurance Company. He formerly held the posts of chairman of the Commercial Bank of Dubai and vice chairman of Al Jalila Foundation Board of Trustees and was a member of the UAE’s Federal National Council, the Board of Directors of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was the only non-US member of the World Board of Governors of the American United Service Organizations (USO) from 1994 to 1997.