Iraq ranks sixth in Middle East military strength in 2026 GFP Index

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq ranked sixth among the Middle East’s strongest militaries in 2026, according to the Global Firepower Index (GFP), after placing fifth regionally in 2025.

The report shows Iraq ranked 44th worldwide in 2026, compared with 43rd in 2025, while maintaining its position as the fourth-strongest military in the Arab world.

Turkiye topped the regional list in 2026, followed by Israel, Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates ranked seventh, Qatar eighth, followed by Jordan and Bahrain.

The index evaluates more than 60 military, economic, and logistical indicators, excluding nuclear capabilities, to provide a comparative measure of conventional military strength. It assesses defense capacity based on manpower, equipment, logistics, and military spending.