Iran Launches Missile Attack on U.S. Air Base in Qatar; Trump Calls It “Weak Response” as Tensions Enter Day 12. Image credit: The Times of Israel
Iran launched a missile strike at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday evening, in what it claimed was retaliation for the U.S. bombing of its nuclear facilities at the weekend. The strike, which caused alarm by triggering sirens and explosions in some areas of Doha, harmed no one and did only small damage, U.S. and Qatari officials said.
The strike is a dangerous escalation in the 12-day conflict that started on June 13 when Israeli planes struck Iranian nuclear and missile sites. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that it had fired off a salvo of ballistic missiles in “Operation Annunciation of Victory” against the Al Udeid base, which houses about 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of US Central Command.
This was a serious and stern warning to the White House,” the IRGC said in a television broadcast on Iranian state media. “Any violation of our sovereignty will be responded to with direct military measures.”.
Though the demonstration of force was theatrics, Iran made advance notice of the assault through diplomatic channels to both the United States and Qatar — a gesture President Donald Trump recognized in a measured response on his Truth Social platform.
I want to thank Iran for giving us advance warning, which allowed no lives lost and nobody hurt,” Trump said. “Perhaps Iran can now turn to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will strongly encourage Israel to do the same.”.
Trump played down the attack as a “very weak response,” declaring that American defenses “very effectively countered” it. “They’ve got it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” he went on.
According to Qatari officials, 19 missiles were fired by Iran but only one hit Al Udeid Air Base with no casualties. The base was evacuated entirely prior to the attack after a threat warning was received by Qatar’s Ministry of Defence.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior also stated that some of the missiles were intercepted by the country’s air defense systems and that airspace across the country was temporarily closed for precautionary reasons. It reopened about five hours later.
“This is a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and the UN Charter,” a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement read. “We reserve our right to retaliate according to international law.”.
Qatar was also quick to reassure foreigners and residents that all was well. Jabr al-Naimi, from Qatar’s Public Security, informed a televised press conference that the attack would not disrupt national life.
“We will not allow any external conflict to occur to our stability,” he added. Schools had been closed for the day following the attack and all exams delayed, but authorities promised there would be a resumption of business sooner rather than later.
Iran emphasized that the attack targeted the U.S. military base alone and was “no threat” to the people of Qatar.
“The measure will not pose any danger to the friendly and brotherly state of Qatar,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council asserted, reaffirming Tehran’s commitment to bilateral ties.
Fighting has escalated since the weekend, when US aircraft dropped massive bunker-busting bombs on Iranian buried nuclear sites, joining an escalating aerial campaign with Israel. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that his country would never succumb to aggression.
We did not attack anyone and we will never accept being attacked by anyone,” Khamenei stated. “We will not be subject to anyone’s aggression – this is the logic of the Iranian nation.”
As pressure mounts diplomatically to contain the conflict, Qatar again urged calls for negotiation on Wednesday, calling on all parties to seek peaceful resolution before more bloodshed spreads across the Gulf region.
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