Explosions echoed across Doha on Monday as Iran launched missiles at US military positions, including a major strike on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, in retaliation for American attacks on its nuclear sites. Iranian officials said they fired the same number of bombs as the US used in its strikes.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council described the operation as a “devastating and powerful” response. Reuters cited Iranian officials who said the attack aimed to match the scale of the US assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Military sources reported that the US base at Qasrak in northeast Syria was on high alert for further attacks, while Iraq’s Ain al-Asad Air Base activated its air defence systems. A senior White House official confirmed that the US was closely monitoring the situation at Al Udeid.
According to The New York Times, Iran informed Qatari authorities in advance to help avoid casualties. Nonetheless, Qatar condemned the missile strikes as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty and international law, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari stating that the country reserves the right to respond. The Qatari defence ministry reported that its air defences intercepted the missiles, and no casualties were recorded.
Qatar temporarily closed its airspace as a precaution, and the US embassy advised American citizens to shelter in place.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to seek support amid the escalating conflict. Iran’s military warned Washington of “serious, unpredictable consequences” if hostilities continue.
Despite Iran’s threats to disrupt Gulf oil shipments, global oil prices remained stable, reflecting market skepticism about any immediate disruption to supply.
Separately, Israel expanded its offensive, bombing Tehran’s Evin prison, a key symbol of the Iranian state, further intensifying the regional conflict.
