Doha June 23: Tensions in the Gulf soared early Monday as Iran launched a missile attack targeting the U.S. military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar a move Tehran claims is in retaliation for recent American actions against its nuclear facilities.
According to Iranian state media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) carried out the strikes in what was described as a “firm and victorious response” to what Iran alleges were U.S. strikes on its nuclear infrastructure. Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim confirmed that ballistic missiles were launched at the American base in Al Udeid.
Reports from Reuters and AFP also confirmed multiple explosions were heard in Doha, indicating the attack’s impact in the Qatar capital.
The Pentagon has acknowledged the incident, confirming that Iran fired short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at the base. A U.S. Defense Department official stated that, so far, there have been no American casualties reported as a result of the missile strikes.
In response to the attack, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Iranian action, with spokesperson Majed Al Ansari stating that the strike was a “clear violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, airspace, international law, and the United Nations Charter.”
Al Udeid Air Base hosts thousands of U.S. military personnel and is considered the largest American military installation in the Middle East. The attack represents a sharp escalation in the already strained relations between Washington and Tehran.
