Iran retaliates against US with 'thwarted' attempt to target its forces in Qatar

The National

4 hours ago

Iran attacked a US base in a missile strike "thwarted" by Qatar on Monday, hitting back in the Middle East air war.
Qatar said it intercepted missiles fired at Al Udeid air base, 30km from Doha. It said the base used by US forces was evacuated in advance, and there were no casualties.
Warning sirens sounded in Bahrain, where people were told to seek shelter in the nearest building. Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq closed their airspace, forcing some flights to turn around.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the attack on the Qatari base. It said the strike "does not pose any threat or danger to the brotherly and friendly State of Qatar or its honourable people".
Missiles were fired at the base 'in response to the blatant and brazen act of aggression committed by the United States against Iranian nuclear sites and facilities", it said.
Al Udeid Air Base, about 30km south-west of Doha, hosts more than 10,000 US military personnel, making it the largest American military installation in the Middle East.
A US defence official said the base was attacked by short and medium-range ballistic missiles from Iran. They said there were no reports of casualties.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia condemned the attack on Qatar. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the UAE's full solidarity with Qatar and its support for all measures aimed at protecting the security and safety of its citizens and residents.
The ministry stressed the need for an immediate halt to military action, warning that further escalation would undermine regional security and lead to "disastrous repercussions" for international peace and security. The ministry also called for diplomatic solutions and serious dialogue to overcome the current crises in the region.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the attack was a "blatant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, airspace, international law and the UN Charter". It said Qatar "affirms its right to respond directly in a manner proportional to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression".
"We reaffirm that dialogue is the only way to overcome the current crises and ensure the security of the region and the peace of its people," it said.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, said people should remain calm and head to the nearest safe place. Motorists were urged to make way for emergency vehicles.
US forces in Kuwait restricted access to key military sites—Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Ali Al Salem Air Base, and Camp Patriot—to essential personnel only.
The attack on Qatar came a day after the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, entering the air war in an unprecedented strike. Israel and Iran have traded missile fire for 11 days since a surprise Israeli attack on June 13.
The Israeli military said it hit "regime targets and agencies of government repression" on Monday, as its war in Iran widens beyond its initial nuclear aims. One strike damaged Evin prison in Tehran, a notorious jail for political prisoners.
An Israeli army spokesman said attacks on Tehran would continue in the "coming days". Israel said it had also struck airports, missile factories and and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps buildings.