GCC: Security of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab Straits is a Shared International Responsibility

The GCC Ministerial Council held its 156th session on Sunday, 7 Jumada al-Awwal 1448 AH, corresponding to October 18, 2026, in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, presided over by His Excellency Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and President of the current Council session, with the participation of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Foreign Ministers of the GCC member states, and His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The Ministerial Council discussed the serious developments in the region and reached the following conclusions:

First: Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Council strongly condemns the continuous attacks launched by the terrorist Houthi militia against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including targeting the Two Holy Mosques and their surrounding areas, and attacking civilian airports and vital facilities, which have resulted in civilian casualties and injuries. This constitutes a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. The Council expresses its sincere condolences to the victims' families and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.

The Council reaffirms the full solidarity of the GCC member states with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, standing as one united front in support of all measures taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its sovereignty, protect its security and interests. It emphasizes that the security of the GCC member states is indivisible, and that any aggression against any member state constitutes a direct attack on all GCC states, in accordance with the Joint Defense Agreement. The Council also affirms the inherent right of the GCC member states to defend themselves, individually and collectively, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and to take all necessary measures to protect their citizens and residents, and to preserve their sovereignty, security, stability, and interests.

The Ministerial Council calls for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions issued regarding Yemen and the Houthi rebellion, including Resolution 2216 (2015), adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, and Resolution 2722 (2024) concerning attacks on ships in the Red Sea. It urges the United Nations and the international community to ensure strict enforcement of the arms embargo on the Houthi militia as stipulated in those resolutions. The Council calls on the Security Council, and its permanent members in particular, to uphold their responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, enforce its resolutions, and treat freedom of maritime and air navigation as a shared international interest that brooks no selectivity.

The Council calls for designating the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization and treating it in line with how the international community deals with terrorist groups that threaten security, peace, development, and prosperity. It demands an end to all support that enables the militia to possess missiles and drones.

The Council welcomes the Presidential Statement adopted by the UN Security Council by consensus on October 15, 2026, which condemned the continuous and escalating Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including attacks on Aramco facilities, and affirmed the Kingdom's right to self-defense under international law. It also condemned attacks and threats against commercial navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and stressed the full implementation of the arms embargo imposed under Resolution 2216 (2015). The Council commends the Kingdom of Bahrain's efforts as a member of the Security Council in this regard, and emphasizes the necessity of full implementation of the statement's provisions.

The GCC states affirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Yemen, and support efforts to reach a political solution to the Yemeni crisis through dialogue and understanding, in accordance with the three reference points (the outcomes of the Comprehensive Yemeni National Dialogue, the Gulf Initiative, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions), in a manner that contributes to realizing the aspirations of the fraternal Yemeni people for peace, security, and stability.

Second: Iranian Aggressions Against the GCC States

The Council of Ministers condemns the continuation of Iranian aggressions using missiles and drones against GCC states and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, either directly or through its proxies in the region. These attacks targeted civilian facilities, service sites, residential areas, and diplomatic missions, resulting in significant material damage and posing a threat to the security and safety of citizens and residents.

The Council holds Iran fully responsible for these aggressions and their repercussions, expressing its firm rejection of all claims put forward by Iran to justify them. It demands the immediate and unconditional cessation of all aggressions, provocations, and threats, and full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026). The Council calls upon the UN Security Council and the international community to fulfill their responsibilities and take necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of the resolution, hold those responsible for these aggressions accountable, and compel Iran to fully compensate for all damages resulting from them, in accordance with UN Human Rights Council Resolution 61/1 (2026).

The Council affirms that the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, along with the Red Sea, are vital waterways whose importance extends beyond the region’s states, representing main arteries of the global economy. Ensuring their security, the safety of navigation, and freedom of passage is a shared international interest and responsibility. The Council stresses that closing these waterways, obstructing navigation, targeting commercial vessels and their crews, laying mines, or imposing illegal fees or restrictions on passage constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and exposes global energy, food, pharmaceutical, and trade supplies to serious risks. The Council rejects any attempt to subject the right of transit passage to prior authorization or imposed routes, which violates the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and customary international law. It calls on the International Maritime Organization to continue fulfilling its responsibilities in safeguarding navigation safety and protecting seafarers. It reaffirms the necessity of restoring the security and freedom of navigation, and returning conditions in the Strait of Hormuz to what they were before February 28, 2026, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the 1974 Maritime Boundary and Continental Shelf Delimitation Agreement signed between the Sultanate of Oman and Iran, while respecting the sovereignty of coastal states and the rights of concerned states.

The Council of Ministers calls for a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy to overcome the current crisis, preserve the security, stability, and well-being of the region’s peoples, and expresses its support for mediation efforts and diplomatic initiatives undertaken by regional states and friendly and sister nations to achieve a political solution that prevents the region from sliding into further tension and undermining security and stability. Such an outcome would not serve the interests of the region or the world. It emphasizes that any agreements must address all outstanding issues, including Iran’s nuclear file, missile program, drones, and support for proxies, based on respect for sovereignty, good neighborliness, and non-interference in internal affairs, with GCC states involved in any negotiations or arrangements affecting their security and interests.