**Egypt Calls for Joint Arab Military Alliance Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions** Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has renewed calls for a common Arab force to defend the region, a proposal that has been discussed for years but has never taken shape. The idea has resurfaced as conflict spreads across the Gulf, with Iranian missile and drone strikes hitting several Arab states in retaliation for attacks by Israel and the United States. The escalation has raised new questions about how Arab countries should organise their own defence. Some countries in the region are already tied to defence agreements with the United States and European powers, while others maintain closer relations with Iran. These differences have made it difficult to agree on a single regional security structure. Hasni Abidi, director of the *Centre for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World (CERMAM)* in Geneva, says it's difficult to see all Arab states accepting such an alliance. "It is an old idea," Abidi explains. "During the war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia wanted to form an Arab coalition, similar to NATO, against the Houthis. It managed to involve some states, but their participation was largely symbolic and it never succeeded in creating a real military coalition." Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi first suggested forming an Arab military coalition as early as 2015, backed by the United States, to fight terrorism in the region. More recently, when Qatar was hit by Iran, the Egyptian president spoke about the need for a common Arab defence to face this challenge. Today, he has sent his foreign minister to support the Gulf countries, but also to tell them that the current circumstances require a new Arab architecture – in other words, a shared defence system run by Arab states themselves. The idea of an "Arab NATO" has been met with skepticism by some Arab states. "It is very difficult to imagine all Arab states accepting this Egyptian proposal," Abidi says. "Several states say they have no interest in joining a military alliance. They oppose the idea of new blocs or alliances, arguing that bloc politics would only make tensions worse and would not help resolve conflicts." Gulf countries are also already tied to defence agreements with the United States, as well as with European countries such as France and the United Kingdom. Another question concerns the logic behind such an alliance. What would its purpose be? Several Arab states maintain good relations with Iran and even have economic ties with the country. As Abidi notes, "War is not a video game," and the situation in the Gulf is complex and multifaceted. The idea of an "Arab NATO" may not be a viable solution, but it has sparked an important debate about the future of regional security.