This Issue Brief analyses the structural limitations of the Gulf security framework in light of Israel’s unprecedented attack in Doha on 9 September, targeting Palestinian Hamas leadership. While the attack marked a dangerous escalation of Tel Aviv’s regional adventurism, it also exposed the enduring structural weaknesses of the Gulf’s security architecture which has been defined by entrenched dependency on the United States. The brief argues that the failure of Gulf Arab leadership to mount a coherent response is rooted not merely in political hesitation but in the dependency architecture of their security collaborations. The entanglement of these Gulf states with Western security guarantees, their heavy reliance on US- and European-origin defence acquisitions, and the deep integration of their sovereign wealth into Western financial systems have created constraints that severely limit their strategic autonomy. Moreover, their security paradigms remain anchored in an outdated Iran-centric threat perception while Israel emerged as a more immediate and destabilising actor, duly emboldened by Western impunity. The brief also analyses India’s position vis-à-vis evolving security dynamics while providing recommendations for the GCC states on recalibrating their regional security considerations.

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