Iran’s state-run news agency Tasnim said Monday that Tehran launched missile attacks on U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq. Al Jazeera, based in Qatar, reported spotting missiles in the skies over the Gulf emirate, which is home to the U.S airbase of Al Udeid, U.S. Central Command’s forward headquarters in the Middle East.
A U.S. defense official said on background in an emailed statement, “I can confirm that al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today. At this time, there are no reports of U.S. casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available.”
A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity about a sensitive issue, said the White House and Department of Defense were closely monitoring potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base.
Reuters and the Associated Press reported the sound of explosions had been heard in Qatar, with no immediate report of targets or damage.
The attack came hours after Qatar closed its airspace and the U.S. Embassy called on American nationals to shelter in place.
It followed an attack over the weekend by U.S. B-2 bombers on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said in a statement on X: “We express the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law and the United Nations Charter. We affirm that the State of Qatar reserves the right to respond directly in a manner proportional to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression and in accordance with international law.” He said the base had been evacuated prior to the attack.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
