The United Arab Emirates is calling for a unified response from Gulf nations to Iranian attacks, similar to NATO's collective defence principle where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Mick Mulroy told ABC News that such a coalition is frankly needed.
Gulf nations are taking the biggest brunt of the conflict with Iran, with some already fighting back individually. Mulroy said they would like a coalition so that if any of them are attacked, all respond together, for the same reasons NATO and other security alliances exist.
Secretary of State Rubio said there are signs that Iran's supreme leader is increasingly engaging in negotiations with the United States. Mulroy noted this careful language may indicate the supreme leader is recovering from injuries during initial strikes and that Washington wants to see him more involved.
The supreme leader is perceived as potentially less hardline than the IRGC chief, which is why the US is trying to send a message encouraging his greater involvement to get negotiations back on track. Currently, the diplomatic process appears to be going in the opposite direction.
On Lebanon, Israel's invasion appears to be moving ahead despite President Trump's demands for a truce. When asked if a US-Iran peace deal is possible without a deal in Lebanon, Mulroy noted that Iran has made clear it does not think so.
Iran wants a full ceasefire in Lebanon but has a significant role to play through its proxy Hezbollah, which continues attacking Israel. Israel responds to those attacks, creating a cycle that complicates any broader diplomatic resolution.
The call for a Gulf coalition represents a significant shift in regional security architecture. If realised, it would transform the defence posture of Gulf states from individual responses to a coordinated collective security framework against Iranian aggression.