Iran says it has launched missile strikes on United States forces at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The “powerful and destructive” missile strikes were retaliation for the US striking of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on Almighty God and the faithful, proud people of Iran, will never leave any aggression against its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or national security unanswered,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement on Monday.
The attacked base is the largest US military installation in the Middle East.
The facility serves as the headquarters and logistics base for US operations in Iraq and also includes the longest air landing strip in the Gulf region.
British forces also rotate through the base.
President Donald Trump had toured the base last month—the first US leader to visit since 2003.
Qatar’s defence ministry said its air defences “successfully” intercepted a missile attack targeting the Al Udeid air base.
The secretariat of Iran’s supreme national security council said the number of missiles Iran used to attack the US air base was the same as the number of bombs the US used to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
In a statement, the council noted that while Iran “shattered” the US air base in Qatar, the attack in no way “presents any danger to Qatar or its people”.
The statement added that Iran “remains committed to maintaining and continuing its warm and historic relations” with Qatar.
However, Qatar said Iran’s attacks were “a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace”.
Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry, said, “the state reserves the right to respond directly, proportionate to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression and in accordance with international law”.
Meanwhile, Kristi Noem, US homeland security secretary, said no new threats from Iran have been recorded since the retaliatory strikes.
Trump was reportedly in a situation room with Pete Hegseth, defence secretary, and other security chiefs, monitoring potential Iranian retaliation.
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