Latest news with #AlUdeid
Al Mayadeen
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Iran says targeted US Qatar air base under Op. Annunciation of Victory
Explosions were reported over the Qatari capital, Doha, on Monday, shortly after a Western diplomat revealed that a credible Iranian threat had been issued against the US-operated Al Udeid air base. According to a Reuters witness, loud blasts were heard in the Qatari capital. #WATCH | More footage showing Iranian missiles in Qatari airspace.#Qatar #Iran #US after, Iran's Tasnim news agency said the country's armed forces launched an operation dubbed "Annunciation of Victory" against US bases in Iraq and Qatar, in retaliation for the American aggression against key Iranian nuclear facilities. The Iranian Armed Forces announced that they targeted Al Udeid with a "devastating and powerful" missile attack. Qatar claimed it had successfully intercepted an Iranian missile attack on Al Udeid base. "The Ministry of Defense announced that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted a missile attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base," it said in a statement, adding that "the incident did not result in any deaths or injuries". Doha condemned the Iranian operation, labeling it as a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty. "We express the State of Qatar's strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law," foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement. Qatar also said it reserves the right to respond directly and in accordance with international law. Additionally, military sources told Reuters that air defense systems have been activated at the American Al-Asad air base in Iraq over fears of potential Iranian strikes. The sources added that maximum alert was declared on the base, followed by orders to shelter in bunkers. Earlier, an informed source told Reuters that Iran coordinated its strikes on US bases in Qatar, prompting airspace closure. Qatar had announced the temporary closure of its airspace to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The announcement followed an alert from the US embassy advising Americans to shelter in place "out of an abundance of caution." Qatar's Foreign Minister later confirmed on X that airspace was closed due to regional developments but did not elaborate. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) regarding the closure of airspace over Al Udeid air base. Iran has threatened retaliation after US forces dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on underground Iranian nuclear installations over the weekend. Al Udeid air base, located in Qatar, serves as the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Hosting about 10,000 troops, it functions as the forward headquarters for US Central Command. Two US officials had told Reuters that Iranian retaliation could target American forces in the region within the next 48 hours.
Al Mayadeen
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Satellite images show Iran attack damaged US comms dome in Qatari base
An Iranian attack on a key US military air base in Qatar likely struck a geodesic dome housing American equipment used for secure communications, an analysis of satellite images by The Associated Press on Friday showed. The Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base near Doha, Qatar's capital, on June 23 was a retaliatory response to the US bombing of three nuclear sites in Tehran, which ultimately led to a ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump that ended the 12-day Israeli war on Iran. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC captured the geodesic dome at Al Udeid Air Base on the morning of June 23, just hours before the attack. The $15 million modernized enterprise terminal housed within it had been installed by the US Air Force's 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which operates from the base, after being announced in 2016. Images from June 25 onward show the dome missing, with visible damage to a nearby structure, while the remainder of the base appears largely unaffected in the satellite imagery. According to the AP analysis, while a fragment or other object could have struck the dome, the destruction suggests an Iranian attack was likely, possibly involving a bomb-carrying drone, given the minimal visible damage to nearby structures. In the US, Trump characterized the Iranian attack as a "very weak response," claiming Tehran had launched 14 missiles with 13 intercepted and one deliberately allowed to continue unimpeded as it was heading in what he described as a "nonthreatening" direction. '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,' Trump wrote on social media. Meanwhile, corroborating the AP analysis, an advisor to Iran's Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Ahmad Alamolhoda, had separately asserted that the attack disconnected the base's communications, potentially signaling prior knowledge that the dome had been hit. 'All equipment of the base was completely destroyed, and now the US command stream and connection from Al Udeid base to its other military bases have been completely cut,' said Alamolhoda, a cleric and advisor to Sayyed Ali Khamenei.
Al Mayadeen
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Iranian official unravels details about Op. True Promise 3
Major General Rasoul Sanaei-Rad, Political Advisor to the Office of Ideological and Political Guidance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, told Al Mayadeen on Sunday that Iran was fully prepared for "Israel's" recent attacks, including the targeting of scientific centers. He stated that "Israel targeted scientific sites in Iran, but we had already taken precautionary measures and secured our scientific documents," noting that Iran anticipated aggression from the 'malicious entity' and had implemented the necessary defensive steps to this end. The major general emphasized that 'Israel' never imagined Iran could target sites like the Weizmann Institute, adding, 'Their mistake was assuming we lacked intelligence on the targets we struck.' While acknowledging some damage to nuclear facilities, Sanaei-Rad dismissed claims that Iran's nuclear program was destroyed, as suggested by US President Donald Trump. 'Our nuclear knowledge lies in the minds of our youth, and we have the expertise to make major advancements in the future,' he asserted. Sanaei-Rad said "Israel" believed it could change the regime within the Islamic Republic, with its actions tied to broader schemes such as the "New Middle East" project aimed at dividing Iran. He added that the United States intervened once "Israel's" failures became scandalous. Speaking to Al Mayadeen, he revealed that the US deployed one of its most advanced radar systems to the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, suggesting that this was among the reasons Iran targeted the base in retaliation for the US complicity. "The Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei made it clear, 'there will be no surrender to bullying. Iran is too big a bite to swallow,' he said,' Sanaei-Rad recounted. "What occurred was merely a pause in military operations, not a ceasefire," he emphasized, warning that any future miscalculation by "Israel" would provoke a response even more powerful and devastating than the 12-day war. He said, "If they commit another foolish act, they should expect destruction even greater than that in Khan Younis," adding that Iran has not yet deployed the full arsenal it had prepared for Operation True Promise 3. "We possess a substantial reserve force, particularly in missile capabilities, prepared for a prolonged confrontation,' he stated, adding that the damage inflicted by the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) demonstrated their strategic depth and formidable striking power. Sanaei-Rad also highlighted to Al Mayadeen that confrontations with enemy intelligence operatives have become increasingly professional, reflecting Iran's growing sophistication and expertise in the field of counterintelligence. He concluded by affirming that the Palestinian Resistance has gained strength since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, gaining critical operational experience in confronting and resisting the Israeli occupation.
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Qatar to compensate residents for debris damage after Iranian missile strike
Qatar's citizens and residents whose private properties were damaged by debris from intercepting Iranian missiles during the attack on Al Udeid base last month will be compensated. On June 23, the Islamic Republic responded to US participation in Israel's air war against it by firing a volley of missiles at the US air base in Qatar, but no one was hurt after Tehran gave advance warning, and a ceasefire was announced hours later by US President Donald Trump. Explosions were heard in the Qatari capital on that night and debris from intercepting the missiles were seen in some roads. Qatar's Ministry of Interior (MOI) took to X to say on Sunday that damages sustained by all private properties, like residential buildings, vehicles, industrial facilities, and commercial establishments, as a result of falling shrapnel from the interception of Iranian missiles, will be compensated. However, it clarified that these damages must be previously documented through official reports filed with the competent security departments. The affected individuals will then be contacted by the Civil Defence Council to complete the compensation procedures by the approved laws and regulations. Those who have not yet documented their cases may still submit a compensation request through the "Metrash" application within two days from the date of the compensation announcement. No claims will be accepted after the expiration of the deadline, the MOI clarified. waiving all traffic violations issued on that day for motorists.
Reuters
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
The ever-evolving 'Trump doctrine' and the fight for US strategy
WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - As some 20 Iranian ballistic missiles headed for the U.S. airbase at Al Udeid in Qatar last month following U.S. strikes against Iran, the only U.S. personnel at the almost entirely evacuated base were some 40 air defence personnel manning a Patriot missile battery flown in a few weeks earlier. According to a press briefing by U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Daniel Caine, a few days later, together with another Patriot detachment from the Qatari military also present at the base, the U.S. team fired more of the defence missiles than in any previous engagement since the system was first deployed in the first Gulf War in 1991. 'They crushed it,' he said, noting that damage to the base was minimal with no casualties. On the surface, officials from the Trump administration have painted last month's U.S. strikes against Iran as an unusually decisive use of U.S. power, talking of a new 'Trump doctrine' in which military force is used with much clearer aims than under previous presidents. They argue it has 'restored American deterrence', sending a clear signal to other potential foes including Moscow and Beijing. The administration had also presented its 52-day bombing campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen as being similarly successful in restoring freedom of navigation there – only for the Houthis to restart attacks on shipping in recent days. All of that comes amid growing divisions within the administration over the future use of U.S. military force, while still leaving open questions over how the U.S. might respond to potential future crises, particularly a Chinese invasion of Taiwan or Russia attack on eastern NATO states. On that front, recent events in the Gulf have already had consequences in Washington and beyond. According to reports this week, the U.S. has barely 25% of the Patriot missile stockpile the Pentagon believes it needs. Consumption of those missiles in the Middle East and Ukraine has made growing those stocks impossible despite heightened production. Last week, that prompted a Pentagon edict stopping shipment of several weapons types to Ukraine including Patriot, long-range HIMARS strike rockets and artillery shells, described at the time as a deliberate decision to help rebuild U.S. stocks. That decision, however, has since been reversed by President Donald Trump amid reports it had never received White House authorisation in the first place. 'We have to,' Trump told a press conference in Washington. 'They have to be able to defend themselves.' The U.S. president has become increasingly critical of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in recent days, accusing him of being uninterested in Trump's efforts to mediate a peace deal as Russian forces have launched the largest drone strikes of the war against Ukraine. That will likely worry the powerful group within the current administration known as 'the restrainers', keen to rein in the multi-decade U.S. tendency to make open-ended defence commitments and become entangled in long-running 'forever wars'. The result is several increasingly apparent divisions over policy, between them opening up huge uncertainties over future U.S. military posture. On one side are those including several top U.S. military commanders who argue Ukraine should be supported as its defeat would likely empower Moscow and Beijing to launch future attacks. On the other are individuals including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon number three civilian official Elbridge Colby who have argued publicly that sending too much support to Ukraine helps China by driving down already limited U.S. weapons stocks. Ironically, that group – including Vice President JD Vance, among the most publicly committed U.S. officials to reducing America's overseas military footprint – had been among the most supportive of Trump's actions on Iran, presenting it as an example of a new and much more limited approach to U.S. intervention. "What I call the Trump Doctrine is quite simple," Vance told an Ohio fundraising dinner last month. "Number one: you articulate a clear American interest ... in this case, that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. Number two, you try to aggressively diplomatically solve that problem. Number three, when you can't solve it diplomatically, you use overwhelming military power to solve it and then you get the hell out of there before it becomes a protracted conflict.' Attempting to classify Trump's presidential decisions within a defined doctrine, however, still brings several challenges. The first is the man himself, who as far back as the 1980s was describing his unpredictability and habit of making last-minute decisions on investments as a central tenet of his 'Art of the Deal'. More recently since taking office, attempts to lock him into one course of action can readily backfire and lead to him endorsing another. Another even more significant challenge is that the threats the United States now most needs to deter – a potential Chinese attack against Taiwan, or a Russian assault into Eastern Europe – are likely impossible to counter through a single U.S. strike. Instead, Trump or his successors would likely face a choice between either unleashing a massive open-ended U.S. conventional military campaign – at the very least an air, drone and missile offensive against advancing Russian or Chinese forces – or abandoning Taiwan and eastern European allies to their fate. In his first term in office and also early in last year's presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly questioned whether European NATO members deserved U.S. protection if they were not spending enough on their own defence. But audio recently released of a fundraising speech last year showed him claiming he had taken a much tougher line with both Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in private, warning he would launch U.S. military action if they attacked Taiwan or Ukraine, neither of which has a binding defence treaty with the United States. "If you go into Ukraine, I'm going to bomb the shit out of Moscow. I'm telling you I have no choice," Trump said he told Putin on an undisclosed date. "And then he goes, like, 'I don't believe you'," Trump continued. "But the truth is he believed me 10%." He said he also made a similar threat to Xi: 'He thought I was crazy,' Trump told his fellow diners, adding that he believed that even if they only believed him 'five or ten percent' the deterrent was effective. Since that audio was released, some have questioned whether the conversations Trump described ever took place – his former national security adviser John Bolton said he was aware of no such conversations before his own 2019 government departure. If they did take place, however – or even if they did not but reflect his broader conclusions over the necessity to sometimes threaten or use force – it would broadly reflect the experience of previous presidents as well as Trump's own record during his first administration. In the aftermath of World War Two, presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy all wrestled with the challenge of confronting both the Soviet Union and Communist China, particularly after the perception the U.S. would not come to the aid of South Korea was seen as having inadvertently led to the start of the Korean War in 1951. Their conclusion, often quite reluctantly, was that to avoid further bloodshed and perhaps escalation to catastrophic global war they must deepen commitments to threatened U.S. allies, including warning the U.S. would use conventional or atomic force to protect them if attacked. On several occasions in his first term, Trump authorised U.S. action on a scale that might have been rejected by the Obama or Biden administrations – but which those around the president believe were successful in at least partially deterring and restraining adversary behaviour.
