Trump lied and didn't want Americans to know - Iran hit top-secret US communications dome at Qatar airbase
Al Udeid Air Base
in Qatar, a critical hub for US military operations in the Middle East, the Trump administration downplayed the attack as 'very weak' and 'nonthreatening,' but a newly analysed satellite imagery revealed a very different story, as per a report.
What Did the Satellite Images Show?
The satellite images analysed on Friday by The Associated Press reveal that Iran's strike hit a geodesic dome housing equipment used by the Americans for secure communications, according to the report. Satellite images provided by Planet Labs PBC showed the dome before and after the attack, as per the AP report. The dome housed a "modernized enterprise terminal," this equipment is used for secure communications, which the US Air Force installed it in 2016 for $15 million, according to the report. However, after the Iranian attack, the dome was gone, and there were burn marks and damage to a nearby building, as reported by AP.
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What Happened at Al Udeid Air Base?
Iran's strike on Al Udeid Air Base outside of Doha, Qatar's capital, on June 23 was in response to the United States' bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran amid the
Middle East conflict
, which then quickly led to a ceasefire brokered by US president Donald Trump, ending the 12-day Iran-Israel war, as reported by AP.
Why Was Damage Limited?
While the attack could only cause little damage, as the US had evacuated its aircraft from the base, which is home to the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command, before the attack happened, according to the report.
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How Did Donald Trump React?
Trump had even said at that time that Iran had already indicated when and how it would retaliate, which allowed American and Qatari air defense to be prepared for the attack, as per the AP report.
The US president has claimed that the Iranian attack was a 'very weak response,' and had said that Tehran fired 14 missiles, with 13 intercepted and one being 'set free' as it was going in a 'nonthreatening' direction, as quoted in the report.
He even wrote on his social media site, saying, 'I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured," as quoted by AP.
What Did Iran Claim?
However, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had emphasised that the air base had been the 'target of a destructive and powerful missile attack,' and even Iran's Supreme National Security Council said that the base had been 'smashed,' but had not provided any specific damage assessments, according to the report.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, an adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had said at that time, 'All equipment of the base was completely destroyed and now the U.S. command stream and connection from Al Udeid base to its other military bases have been completely cut,' as quoted by AP.
FAQs
What was inside the dome Iran hit?
It housed a secure US communications system called a "modernized enterprise terminal," installed in 2016 and worth $15 million, as per the AP report.
Did the US admit that the dome was hit?
No. As of now, the US military and Qatar haven't made any public comments about the damage.
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