Gulf states dismantle IRGC and Hezbollah networks: successive security blows amid wartime escalation

Within a few weeks, in an exceptional scene reflecting the depth of regional security turmoil, four major Gulf states the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar announced the dismantling of multiple cells linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. These successive security operations collectively form a regional warning system against Iranian infiltration at the heart of Gulf states, amid what has come to be known as the escalating “Iran war.”

Qatar: Two Cells for Espionage and Sabotage
Doha was the first to sound the alarm. On March 3, 2026, the official Qatar News Agency announced the arrest of two cells linked to the IRGC and the detention of ten individuals whose nationalities were not disclosed.

According to the statement, the first cell was tasked with gathering intelligence on vital and military facilities within Qatari territory, while the second received specialized training in the use of drones to carry out sabotage operations. Investigations revealed the seizure of communication devices, data, and sensitive coordinates in the possession of the detainees. The suspects admitted direct links to the IRGC and receiving assignments for espionage and sabotage missions.

Bahrain: Maps and Images Targeting Facilities
Days later, on March 11, Bahrain’s announcement was more detailed and severe. On March 26, the Bahraini Public Prosecutor referred fourteen defendants in four separate cases to the High Criminal Court, including fugitives in Iran and one woman.

Investigations revealed that the cells were working for the IRGC, conducting surveillance and photographing vital sites within the kingdom, then sending images and coordinates to the IRGC, which reportedly used them in carrying out its strikes. This indicates that the breach had moved beyond planning into direct operational complicity in targeting the country.

The Bahraini Public Prosecutor stated that the charges include seeking and communicating with the IRGC to carry out hostile and warlike acts, supporting its hostile activities, receiving funding to back terrorist operations, spreading rumors to incite panic, and glorifying Iranian aggression against the kingdom. Several defendants confessed in detail during extensive interrogations.

Kuwait: Assassination Plots and Drone Operations
On March 18, Kuwait announced the dismantling of a six-member cell five Kuwaiti nationals and a sixth stripped of citizenship following intensive and precise surveillance operations. Authorities also identified fourteen additional suspects abroad, including Kuwaitis, Lebanese, and Iranians.

However, the most significant blow came days later. On March 25, Kuwait’s State Security Service announced the dismantling of a broader network of twenty-one individuals linked to Hezbollah, who were preparing to carry out assassination operations targeting state leaders and national figures. Additionally, a parallel cell of sixteen individuals fourteen Kuwaitis and two Lebanese was uncovered, with security forces finding weapons designated for assassinations and drones in their possession. This highlights the advanced tools and methods now employed by such networks.

The detained suspects confirmed receiving advanced military training outside Kuwait and their readiness to act upon receiving orders, in what observers described as a “sleeper cell” model awaiting activation when needed.

UAE: Infiltration Through the Economy
On March 20, the UAE’s announcement took a different form. The Emirates News Agency reported the dismantling of a terrorist network funded by Iran and Hezbollah. Unlike others, this network did not operate through direct armed activity but used commercial cover to conduct money laundering and finance terrorism, aiming to infiltrate the country’s economic system and undermine its financial stability.

UAE authorities did not disclose the number or nationalities of those arrested. However, regional reactions were swift: Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as a “terrorist conspiracy” and offered cooperation with Abu Dhabi, while Hezbollah denied any presence or activity within the UAE.

Confronting Iranian Infiltration
Observers agree that the striking simultaneity of these four announcements within three weeks cannot be separated from the broader tense regional context. According to an analysis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, seventeen plots linked to Tehran have been foiled over the past five years across various parts of the world, from Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom to Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.

One of the most prominent cases is that of Ali Kourani, a Hezbollah operative sentenced in New York in 2019, who admitted to being a sleeper agent tasked with gathering intelligence on targets in the United States and Canada, awaiting activation orders in the event of confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Experts believe the same model applies to what has been uncovered in the Gulf states.

Through these successive announcements, the four Gulf states are sending a dual message: domestically, that security agencies remain vigilant and capable of detecting threats before they materialize; and externally, that any attempt to destabilize internal security amid the regional crisis will be met with decisive legal and security measures.

Perhaps most telling is the implicit coordination evident in the timing of these announcements, suggesting that Gulf intelligence systems are now operating with deeper integration than previously acknowledged, in response to what these states describe as systematic Iranian expansion within their territories.