The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) smaller member states are playing a key role in regional collective defense amid evolving security challenges posed by Iran’s recent attacks. While military strength is often assessed based on armed forces size, technology, and resources, experts highlight that strategic geography, operational coordination, and partnership resilience are equally significant in shaping defense capabilities.

Bahrain provides a notable example. The kingdom, with a population of roughly 1.6 million and located less than 200 kilometers from Iran, has been subjected to repeated assaults since February, including missile and drone strikes targeting vital infrastructure such as an oil refinery, an aluminum smelter, and a desalination plant. The US Naval Support Activity Bahrain, which hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command and the US Fifth Fleet, has also sustained substantial damage, incurring preliminary repair costs estimated at $400 million. The Congressional Research Service ranks Bahrain as the fourth-most-targeted country by Iran through August.

Despite these pressures, Bahrain has sustained and even strengthened its security partnerships, underscoring the kingdom’s strategic importance beyond its physical size. Continuing to serve as a pivotal hub for security cooperation, Bahrain hosts the US-led Combined Maritime Forces, a coalition of 47 nations, along with the US Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces Central Command. The kingdom also became a major non-NATO ally of the United States in 2002 and has actively participated in NATO’s Istanbul Cooperation Initiative since 2005. In 2019, Bahrain became the first Gulf state to announce its involvement in the US-led International Maritime Security Construct.

This integration reflects a broader principle in collective defense arrangements: sustaining partnerships and key infrastructure can be as vital as direct territorial defense. Within the GCC, larger members like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates contribute significant military and economic resources, while smaller states offer strategic locations, specialized facilities, and crucial diplomatic and operational links. Effectiveness in regional defense relies on coordinating and leveraging these diverse capabilities rather than applying uniform national benchmarks.

The experience of the GCC also offers insights for NATO as it seeks to optimize the contributions of all member countries amid rising geopolitical challenges in Europe. Smaller allies’ roles should be assessed not only by defense spending or troop numbers but also by their ability to provide access to ports, airfields, command centers, and to maintain operational continuity under attack. These factors collectively enhance alliance resilience and security posture.