Qatar’s intelligence chief said the country repositioned defensive assets in about six hours, as Doha sets out military priorities and prepares a regional defense partnership.
Brigadier General Khalid Mohammed Al-Nuaimi made the claim at the Global Security Forum in Doha, according to Doha News and Euronews. He said the redeployment followed eight months of military adjustments. Asked about countering drones, Al-Nuaimi described changes to Qatar’s operational approach and allocation of defense assets. He called the redeployment “unprecedented and successful.”
On Oct. 19, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al-Thani said Qatar was prioritizing air defense, counter-drone capabilities and electronic warfare, including cybersecurity. He said Qatar would announce a regional defense partnership and a domestic defense industries center. No date was given for the partnership announcement.
Al-Thani said attacks on Qatari territory, disruptions to energy supplies and the spread of regional conflicts had tested Qatar. He said disruptions to Gulf energy supplies affect global supply chains and investment, linking the country’s security concerns to economic interests beyond the region. He cited postwar economic ties between Germany and France as a possible model for reducing the risk of future conflict.
On Oct. 20, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it remained in contact with Washington and Tehran and was continuing to relay messages between them. The ministry said attacks affecting the Strait of Hormuz would harm people throughout the region, including Iranians, most severely. Qatar has not given a date for its regional partnership announcement.
