Latest news with #al-Ansari
India.com
20 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Iran Strikes US Base in Qatar; Doha Slams ‘Violation of Sovereignty': Here's What To Know About Al Udeid Air Base
Iran-Israel War: A flash lit up the skies over Doha late Monday. Flares arched overhead. Then came the sound – deep, loud and unmistakable. Explosions rolled across the Qatari capital. Iran says it launched the strike. The target (Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar), according to Tehran, is the US military's largest base in the Middle East. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed the operation. They have named it 'Operation Glad Tidings of Victory'. The launch, they said, was in direct response to the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend. Iranian state TV made the announcement shortly after the missiles were launched. In the aftermath, Qatar shut down its airspace temporarily. A statement from Doha cited security concerns and the need to protect residents and visitors. The decision came as Iran repeated its threats of retaliation against Washington. Across the Gulf, nervous ripples spread. In Bahrain, authorities issued a rare advisory. Citizens and residents were told to avoid main roads unless absolutely necessary. The country's interior ministry said this was to allow 'relevant authorities' to move freely and respond swiftly, if needed. The White House said it is watching closely. A senior official confirmed that both the administration and the Pentagon are monitoring threats to Al Udeid and other regional bases. According to Reuters, US forces across the Gulf have raised their alert levels. Iraq, too, is bracing for impact. Quoting sources, Reuters reported that the air defense system at the Ain al-Asad base was activated amid fears of a strike. The base houses American troops and has been a target before. Details are still emerging. Iran's semi-official news outlet Tasnim reported that missile strikes also targeted U.S. positions in Iraq. The full scale of the attack is unclear. 'It's a Violation of Sovereignty' Qatar has lashed out at Iran over the missile attack. Its foreign ministry called it a 'clear breach of Qatari sovereignty and airspace', warning that such an act will not go unanswered. Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry, issued a statement, saying that the strike from the IRGC was 'a direct violation of international norms and the UN charter'. He added that Qatar reserves the right to respond, using all channels available under international law. According to al-Ansari, Qatari air defense systems were activated in time. The missiles were intercepted. The attack, he said, was repelled before it could do any damage on Qatari soil. — وزارة الدفاع - دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) June 23, 2025 Tehran, however, tried to tone things down. Iran's Supreme National Security Council issued a statement hours later. It said the strike on the Al Udeid base was aimed carefully, away from civilian zones. Iran insisted the action was not intended to harm Qatar or its people. 'This operation posed no threat to our brotherly neighbor. Our relations with Qatar remain warm and rooted in history,' the Iranian council said. In a defiant message broadcast by Iran's Tasnim news agency, the IRGC warned that any future hostile action would trigger a strong and immediate response. It said American military installations across the region have become "exposed targets". The IRGC stressed that Iran would respond to any violation of its sovereignty, territory or national security. 'No act of aggression will go unanswered,' the statement said. According to the IRGC, the latest strike was carried out in full coordination with Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The group described the operation as a turning point, signaling what it called the end of 'hit-and-run' tactics against Iran. The statement also linked recent U.S. strikes to Israeli strategic interests. It accused Washington of acting in support of Tel Aviv's military goals and pledged that resistance would continue until, in its words, the 'Zionist entity' is dismantled. What we know about the U.S. base in Qatar Al Udeid is no ordinary outpost. Built in 1996, the 60-acre air base sits southwest of Doha. It holds nearly 10,000 American troops. It also houses advanced surveillance systems, drones and fighter aircraft. This is where CENTCOM runs its operations for nearly a dozen countries across the region. By striking this base, Iran has sent a message. And the world is listening. Doha's skies were not the only ones glowing. Footage shared online showed flares climbing in the dark. Some locals thought it was a drill. Others knew better. This is not the first time Al Udeid has faced danger. But a direct strike by Iran marks a sharp escalation. Until now, most tensions played out in Iraq or Syria. This time, Iran has reached straight into the US heart in the Gulf. The United Kingdom has taken notice too. Foreign Secretary David Lammy told Parliament they have moved assets to the region. He said Britain is ready—to defend its people and its partners. Qatar has not issued further details since the shutdown of its airspace. The United States has also yet to confirm the scale of damage or respond publicly to the strike. The line between threats and action has faded. And the most fortified American base in the Middle East now stands exposed.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Qatar monitors radiation levels over Gulf, fears rise as Israel hits Iranian nuclear, energy sites
Qatar warns that strikes on nuclear or energy sites could have unknown consequences for Gulf nations reliant on shared waters/ Image composite (File), PANA Amid heightened conflict between Israel and Iran, Qatar has stepped up monitoring of radiation levels in the Gulf, following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and energy sites. On Tuesday, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed that Doha is closely tracking environmental developments in the region, while calling for international awareness of the potential fallout from strikes on sensitive facilities. 'We are monitoring this on a daily basis,' al-Ansari said during a news conference. 'We have nothing to be concerned about right now, but obviously prolonged escalation will have unpredictable consequences.' Gulf waters under watch: Qatar warns of potential regional impact Al-Ansari stressed the strategic and environmental importance of the Gulf's waters, describing them as the region's primary water source. He warned that any military action targeting nuclear or energy-related facilities could result in outcomes beyond current prediction. 'We have to emphasise, when we are talking about the waters of the Gulf, it's the main source of water for all of us here in the region,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ask a Pro: "What Expenses Can Be Deducted From Capital Gains Tax?" SmartAsset Undo 'The international community has to make it very clear that any targeting of nuclear facilities, any targeting of fuel or energy facilities in this region, would have ramifications that are unknown to us in the Gulf.' Nuclear and energy sites struck as conflict enters fifth day The current escalation began Friday when Israel launched a major air campaign against Iran's nuclear infrastructure. This marked the start of a now five-day-long exchange of missile strikes between the two countries. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities, which were among the Israeli targets, are located deep inland. However, Iran also operates a nuclear power plant at Bushehr, situated along the Gulf coast. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran informed the UN nuclear watchdog that the Bushehr plant had not been targeted. The statement was issued by the IAEA on Friday. On Saturday, Israel targeted a significant Iranian gas installation on the Gulf coast. The facility supports the South Pars gas field, a major energy project shared between Iran and Qatar. Qatar condemns strikes on energy infrastructure While confirming that Qatar's part of the shared gas field remains unaffected, the Qatari government expressed concern over the risks such attacks pose to regional stability. 'Qatar's own facilities in the field are secure,' said al-Ansari. Nonetheless, he strongly criticised the Israeli strikes on Iran's energy assets. He described the actions as 'reckless,' adding to Qatar's calls for de-escalation and urging international stakeholders to prevent further destabilisation in the Gulf.
Al Arabiya
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Qatar reiterates support for two-state solution after Trump calls for moving Gazans
Qatar reaffirmed its support for a two-state solution on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump repeated his call to move Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt or Jordan. Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari did not reveal details of conversations with US officials, but said Qatar often didn't see 'eye to eye' with its allies. 'Our position has always been clear to the necessity of the Palestinian people receiving their rights, and that the two-state solution is the only path forward,' al-Ansari told a regular media briefing when asked about Trump's comments. 'We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things with all our allies, not only the United States, but we work very closely with them to make sure that we formulate policy together,' he added. Qatar, the US and Egypt jointly mediated the Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal that went into effect a little over a week ago, halting more than 15 months of fighting sparked by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. On Monday, Trump repeated his wish to move Gazans to another country, after earlier saying he wanted to 'clean out' the devastated Palestinian territory. The US president told reporters he would 'like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption and revolution and violence so much.' Al-Ansari said Qatar, which hosts the region's biggest US military base, was 'engaging fully with the Trump administration and with envoy (Steve) Witkoff,' the president's special representative for the Middle East. 'I'm not going to comment on the type of discussions we are having with them right now, but I would say that it is very productive,' al-Ansari said. 'We have been working very closely with the Trump administration over the regional issues as a whole, including the Palestinian issue.'
