Iran begins retaliatory attacks on US bases, says launched attack on US troops at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar
Flares were visible over Qatar’s capital, Doha Monday, explosions were also heard.
Iran has said it launched an attack on United States forces at Al Udeid Air Base. in Qatar after Tehran said it would retaliate against the United States strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially confirmed Monday that it launched a retaliatory missile attack targeting the US’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports.
Tasnim said the operation is called “Annunciation of Victory”.
Flares were visible over Qatar’s capital, Doha Monday. It was initially not immediately known if this was the air defence system or missiles.
Loud explosions were also be heard although so far no injuries have been reported. Qatar’s Defence Ministry says its air defence systems successfully intercepted missiles targeting Al Udeid Air Base.
In a statement, the ministry said the incident resulted in no deaths or injuries, crediting “the vigilance of the armed forces and precautionary measures taken”.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent Ali Hashem reporting from Tehran said “it seems that this is the beginning of an Iranian retaliation against US bases in the Gulf”.
“For now, we are unsure about the scope, the timing, or how long this will continue — or if it will be a one-off strike,” said Hashem adding that “nobody knows whether this will also serve as a pretext for the US to retaliate or enter the war”, he added.
“Many analysts think this could be a kind of choreographed attack – that is, the US was informed in advance, just like in 2020 when Iran retaliated for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, and Iran was reportedly aware in advance of the attack on Fordow. But these are just speculations,” noted Hashem and adding that “this is, of course, unprecedented”, Hashem said.
The Iranian Supreme National Security Council says that the missile strike against the Al Udeid Air Base was away from residential areas in Qatar.
“This action does not pose any threat to the friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people, and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to maintaining and continuing warm and historic relations with Qatar,” the council said in a statement.
Qatar condemned the attack as a blatant violation of its sovereignty.
The US and United Kingdom embassies in Qatar had earlier released statements recommending citizens in Qatar to shelter in place until further notice. Qatar said it shut down its airspace temporarily as part of the measures taken to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
The countries with the most US troops include Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. These installations serve as critical hubs for air and naval operations, regional logistics, intelligence gathering and force projection.
Al Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East, established in 1996. Covering an area of 24 hectares (60 acres), the base accommodates almost 100 aircraft as well as drones. This base, which houses some 10,000 troops, serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been central to operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
