Hybrid threats and hybrid warfare create complex challenges for the security and stability of the Gulf States. This book is the first comprehensive attempt to align Western and Arab Gulf concepts of these phenomena, closing a significant gap in academic and policy discourse. By clarifying terminology and frameworks, it paves the way for more effective cooperation in countering hybrid threats.

Organised into five thematic sections — conceptual foundations, threat landscapes, cybersecurity, case studies, and strategies for resilience — the book combines theoretical analysis with practical insights. The case studies range from Kuwait and Saudi–U.S. relations to Taiwan and post-Soviet states, offering a variety of comparative perspectives.

Written by scholars and practitioners from eleven countries, the book takes a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and mitigating hybrid threats. It will appeal to academics, policymakers, and security professionals seeking to strengthen resilience and regional collaboration within the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Dr. Juha Mäkelä is a Finnish General Staff (G.S.) officer and retired Lieutenant Colonel. He is currently working as Director of the Finnish Institute of the Middle East (FIME). His previous Middle Eastern assignments among other things include a position as Visiting Researcher at the al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, in 2011, and Defence Attaché of Finland for Türkiye, Lebanon, and Georgia 2019-2022.

Antti Sillanpää is Chief Preparedness Expert at Finland’s National Emergency Supply Agency, leading the Knowledge Centre on Information Resilience. From 2011 to 2021, he worked at the Secretariat of the Security Committee, focusing on hybrid threats, cybersecurity, and societal preparedness. He also served at NATO’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga (2015–2018). He holds a Doctor of Science in Technology and two master’s degrees in social sciences and economics.

Fai Ben Salamah serves at the National Cybersecurity Centre in Kuwait, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping and strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity strategies and initiatives. She holds a Ph.D. in Cybersecurity from the University of Plymouth, UK, following a Master’s in IT and a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Kuwait University. Her research adopts a multidisciplinary approach, addressing legal, technical, and human aspects of cybersecurity.