Iran attacks Al Udeid Air Base housing US troops in Qatar
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially confirmed on Monday that it launched a retaliatory missile attack targeting the Al Udeid base, Iran's Tasnim news agency reports.
Tasnim said the operation is called 'Annunciation of Victory'.
US military officials said that Al Udeid Air Base was the only US military base targeted by Iran, according to Reuters news agency.
The official confirmed there was no impact on the base just outside Qatar's capital Doha.
A US defence official added that 'al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today'.
'At this time, there are no reports of US casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available.'
Flares were visible over Qatar's capital, Doha, on Monday. It was initially not immediately known if this was the air defence system or missiles.
Loud explosions were also heard, although so far no injuries have been reported. Qatar's Defence Ministry says its air defence systems successfully intercepted missiles targeting Al Udeid Air Base.
In a statement, the ministry said the incident resulted in no deaths or injuries, crediting 'the vigilance of the armed forces and precautionary measures taken'.
Al Jazeera's correspondent Ali Hashem, reporting from Tehran, said, 'It seems that this is the beginning of an Iranian retaliation against US bases in the Gulf.'
'For now, we are unsure about the scope, the timing, or how long this will continue — or if it will be a one-off strike,' said Hashem, adding that 'nobody knows whether this will also serve as a pretext for the US to retaliate or enter the war'.
'Many analysts think this could be a kind of choreographed attack – that is, the US was informed in advance, just like in 2020 when Iran retaliated for the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, and Iran was reportedly aware in advance of the attack on Fordow. But these are just speculations,' noted Hashem, adding that 'this is, of course, unprecedented'.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council says that the missile strike against the Al Udeid Air Base was far away from residential areas in Qatar.
'This action does not pose any threat to the friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people, and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to maintaining and continuing warm and historic relations with Qatar,' the council said in a statement.
Iran and Qatar enjoy fraternal relations and the Qatari government has condemned both the Israeli and US attacks on Iran.
Qatar, nevertheless, condemned the attack as a blatant violation of its sovereignty.Al Jazeera's correspondent Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Doha following the Iranian attack said 'people here have never experienced this kind of environment, so it was certainly a very dramatic experience.'
'But it's important to understand that this was not intended to harm the civilian population, but it was a clear message to the US government and military that Iran has the capability to launch direct attacks on US military personnel in the Middle East,' added Jabbari.
'It really is up to the United States now if this conflict moves forward whether or not we are going to see a trajectory of war engulfing this regionor whether they will choose this as an opportunity to see it as off-ramp to deescalate the situation,' noted Jabbari.
Al Jazeera's correspondent, Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC said that the US President Donald Trump is currently in the Situation Room of the White House.
Initially, his national security briefing had been scheduled for the Oval Office, but it was moved due to thse developments involving attacks on US bases – specifically in Qatar.
'We also know that the US was aware and informed in advance that the attacks would take place. As a result, it was able – just as the Qatari Foreign Ministry did – to alert civilians and personnel at Al Udeid, allowing flights to be diverted and casualties to be minimised,' Halkett added.
Reports from the White House indicate that the Iranian attack on the air base appears to have been calibrated to mirror the US strike in terms of the number of missiles used.
'However, the US president had cautioned Iran against taking this action – and now it has occurred,' said Halkett.
The embassies of the US and United Kingdom in Qatar had earlier released statements recommending that citizens in Qatar shelter in place until further notice. Qatar said it shut down its airspace temporarily as part of the measures taken to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
The countries with the most US troops include Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. These installations serve as critical hubs for air and naval operations, regional logistics, intelligence gathering and force projection.
Gulf countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, announced they had closed their airspace.
Al Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East, established in 1996. Covering an area of 24 hectares (60 acres), the base accommodates almost 100 aircraft as well as drones. This base, which houses some 10,000 troops, serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been central to operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
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Newsweek
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How Number of Journalists Killed in Gaza War Compares to WW2, Vietnam, Iraq
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