Islamic military alliance being formed to oppose Israel?

(Patria) - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Sunday called for the establishment of an Islamic military alliance, saying recent Israeli actions in Gaza and Qatar require a joint response.

Sudani said the airstrike on Doha on Tuesday, which killed five Hamas members and one Qatari security official, was a shocking violation of international law and a reminder that Israeli actions threaten the security of the entire region.

"There is no reason why Muslim nations should not form joint security forces to defend themselves," he told Qatari channel Al Jazeera, calling on Arab and Islamic countries to build a comprehensive political, security and economic partnership.

His comments come as preparations are underway for an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, which will discuss the consequences of the Israeli attack on Qatar. The launch of a long-proposed joint Arab military force, an initiative first put forward by Egypt nearly a decade ago, is also expected.

The Iraqi prime minister stressed that the Islamic world possesses numerous levers to deter Israel, warning that Israeli aggression will not stop at Qatar. He also pointed to what he described as systematic killings in Gaza that have been ongoing for nearly two years.

Qatar will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on September 15 and 16 in response to the Israeli attack targeting Hamas leaders in Doha. The attack hit a residential complex while Hamas leaders were discussing a US proposal to end the war in Gaza, in which more than 64,800 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.