Iran Fires at US Bases in Qatar, Iraq

Time of India

3 hours ago

Iran launched missile attacks Monday on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region.
Iran announced on state television that it attacked American forces stationed at Qatar's
Al Udeid Air Base
, the largest US military installation in West Asia.
Tehran said its missile attack matched the number of bombs dropped by the US on Iranian nuclear sites this weekend, signalling Iran's likely desire to de-escalate.
The Iranian military said the attack was 'devastating and powerful' but Qatar said it successfully intercepted the missiles, and the attack caused no injuries while stressing it reserved the right to respond.
Iran is also said to have targeted the Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq. The attacks came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran.
The main US base in Iraq's western neighbour Syria was also on full alert for possible attack by Iran or Iran-aligned militia groups, a Syrian security source said.
Bahrain, Kuwait and UAE also closed their airspace following the attack.
Iran, which had been warned by Washington not to retaliate or face massive US military action, had informed the US via two diplomatic channels hours ahead of the attack, as well as Qatari authorities, a senior regional source told Reuters.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council in a statement said: 'This action posed no danger to our friendly and brotherly nation of Qatar and its honourable people. The Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to preserving and continuing its warm and historic relations with Qatar.'
Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X: 'We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.'
In the past, Iran has threatened American forces at Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command. Qatar, across the Persian Gulf from Iran, maintains diplomatic relations with Iran and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran.
Earlier in the day, Israel expanded its war against Iran to include targets associated with the country's theocracy. As plumes of thick smoke rose over Tehran, Israel was attacked with yet another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. The latest strikes unfolded only hours after President Donald Trump openly raised the possibility of a regime change in Iran.
'If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' he asked on his Truth Social website. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as 'simply raising a question.'
A key area of focus for global markets is the Strait of Hormuz, a major artery for the world's oil and gas. Iran's parliament called for the closure of the strait, according to state-run TV on Sunday.
Naval forces in the region warned that ships, especially US-linked ones, could be at heightened risk. Greece, home to more oil-tanker capacity than any other nation, cautioned its vessels owners to think again if they're considering entering the Persian Gulf.
Two supertankers, each capable of hauling about 2 million barrels of crude, performed U-turns in the strait. They entered the waterway and abruptly changed course, according to vessel tracking data. After a pause, both headed back through Hormuz. The two vessels' movements come as shipbrokers and others in the oil tanker market report a cautious willingness to enter the stretch of water that's pivotal to the global oil trade.