Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Amman, Jordan | April 15, 2026, 5:20 p.m. ET | 6 min read

Arms deals, new pipelines, laying down rail – Gulf states’ steps to protect themselves from a hostile Iran are rapid, diverse, and growing by the day.

In the days since Iran’s missiles stopped amid a fragile ceasefire with the United States, Gulf Arab states have moved quickly to lessen their reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. For weeks, the waterway, vital to an oil-thirsty world, has remained closed nearly completely by Iran, and as of Tuesday is purportedly under an additional U.S.…