Iran launched missile attacks on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday evening, in what state media described as a “powerful” retaliation for recent American airstrikes on its nuclear facilities.
State-run IRNA said the operation, codenamed “Blessing of Victory”, targeted the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar and a US installation in Iraq. AFP journalists reported hearing explosions in Doha, where Al Udeid—the largest US military base in the Middle East—is located.
Iran’s National Security Council confirmed the attack on Al Udeid, saying it mirrored the scale of the US strike on Iranian nuclear sites. The council added that the assault was not intended as a threat to Qatar.
“In response to the US’s insolent attack on our nuclear facilities, Iran’s armed forces struck the Al Udeid air base,” the council said, stressing that the number of missiles launched matched the number of bombs dropped by the US.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Ministry of Defense announced that its air defenses intercepted the incoming Iranian missiles, with no casualties or injuries reported. The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the strike and warned of potential retaliation.
“Qatar reserves the right to respond in a manner proportional to the scale of this aggression,” said ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari, noting the US base had been evacuated before the strike as a precaution.
The escalation marks a dangerous new phase in the widening regional conflict, with direct strikes between Iran and the US now involving host countries in the Gulf.
AFP
