What We Know About the Iranian Attack on a U.S. Base in Qatar

Iran has launched missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar, claiming the strike was in retaliation for American attacks on its nuclear facilities over the weekend.

Eyewitnesses in Doha reported hearing loud explosions overhead, while videos circulating online captured bright flashes in the sky as air defense systems attempted to intercept the incoming missiles.

This marks the latest escalation in an increasingly volatile conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, pushing tensions in the Middle East to dangerous new heights.

Details of the attack are still coming to light. Here's what we know so far:

What Did Iran Target, and Why?

The missiles were aimed at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East.

According to the U.S. State Department, around 8,000 American personnel are stationed at the base, which also serves as the central hub for U.S. air operations across the region. British military personnel also serve there on a rotational basis.

Qatar’s government confirmed that there were no casualties, adding that the base had been evacuated prior to the strike.

It remains unclear whether any missiles actually struck the base or caused material damage.

Iranian state media was the first to confirm the attack, later followed by the military.

A statement from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — the most powerful arm of its military — declared: "Iran will not leave any attack on its sovereignty unanswered." It also warned: "U.S. bases in the region are not strengths but vulnerabilities."

The U.S. had earlier warned Iran against retaliating for its strikes on nuclear facilities and urged Tehran to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the growing conflict.

As of now, the White House has not issued a response to the latest attack.

How Did the U.S. and Others Prepare?

There were signs earlier on Monday that U.S. intelligence suspected Iran was preparing to launch missiles toward Qatar.

Hours before the attack, Qatar announced a temporary closure of its airspace.

This was followed by shelter-in-place advisories from the U.S. and U.K. embassies, urging their nationals in Qatar to stay indoors until further notice.

While the warnings didn’t specifically predict an imminent attack, the U.S. said its alert was issued "out of an abundance of caution," and the U.K. indicated it was acting in alignment with U.S. assessments.

Roughly an hour before the attack, the BBC reported it had learned of a “credible threat” to the base.

Separately, several U.S. media outlets, citing anonymous officials, reported that Iranian missile launchers had been moved into position for a potential strike on Qatar.

Flight tracking services showed commercial aircraft were already diverting to other airports before the missiles were launched. According to Flightradar24, about 100 flights were en route to Doha just before the attack was detected.

Hamad International Airport — one of the world’s top 10 busiest airports for international traffic — handles about 140,000 passengers daily.

Other countries in the region, including Bahrain and Kuwait, also shut down their airspace as a precaution.

How Did It Come to This?

Late Saturday night, the U.S. carried out major airstrikes against three nuclear sites in Iran.

The move followed days of uncertainty over whether Washington would support Israel's ongoing military campaign against Iran, which began on June 13.

Since then, Israel has been conducting daily missile strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure, claiming these attacks are necessary to prevent Tehran from rapidly developing a nuclear weapon.

For years, both Israeli and American administrations have worked to block Iran from acquiring such weapons. Iran, however, insists its extensive nuclear program is strictly for civilian energy and research purposes.

The U.S. says its recent strikes inflicted significant damage on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, though the full extent of the destruction is not yet known.

Meanwhile, clashes between Iran and Israel continued on Monday, adding fuel to an already explosive regional crisis.

BBC

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