On 9 September 2025, Israel carried out an airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders, killing people and triggering an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Qatar on 15-16 September. The UN Human Rights Council scheduled an urgent debate for 16 September, underscoring the diplomatic shockwave. At Doha, Iran urged an OIC-wide mutual-defence framework, while Egypt floated a joint military command; both framed the moment as a “security necessity.” Pakistan pressed for a pan-Islamic task force and moves to suspend Israel’s UN membership, signalling preference for legal and economic pressure over rapid military integration.
The idea of an “Islamic NATO” is not new. Since 2015, the Saudi-led Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) has coordinated counter-terrorism among 40+ Muslim-majority states, though without a collective-defence clause or Iran’s participation. That precedent shows cooperation is possible but consensus on doctrine, funding, and command is hard.
Obstacles remain divergent alignments among Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and the Gulf; capability gaps; and the risk of entrapment in others’ wars. Doha readouts emphasised legal remedies, sanctions, and reviews of ties with Israel, suggesting any near-term outcome will be coordination, not a treaty-backed alliance. The outcome of the OIC meeting is being watched globally, as it could signal a dramatic reconfiguration of power and defense strategy in the region.
