Paper alliances, missiles in the air: Behind Turkey and the Gulf states' illusion of defense

Erdogan and the Emir of Qatar signed a new mutual defense agreement in Istanbul. Dr. Yoel Guzansky of INSS casts doubt on the significance of the alliance, given ongoing Iranian strikes in the Gulf and the lack of a meaningful Turkish response.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a new mutual defense agreement in Istanbul during the 12th session of the Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee. The agreement joins a wave of military alliances in the region, including the "Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense" between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan; a multinational naval defense coalition led by Saudi Arabia; and the R4 mechanism involving Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. However, Dr. Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at INSS, told ynet that the proliferation of alliances indicates weak mutual commitment, and that Iran continues to attack in the Gulf region. He noted that Turkey has not provided missile defense to Qatar nor condemned the Iranian strikes, and questioned the significance of the new alliance.