Rising Tensions: Iran Targets U.S. Bases in Qatar and Iraq
In a significant escalation of regional tensions, Iran launched missile strikes on U.S. military bases located in Qatar and Iraq, as confirmed by Iran’s Tasnim news agency. The attack occurred on Monday and involved both short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles. The Gulf state of Qatar, which hosts the Al Udeid Air Base and serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), witnessed missiles streaking through its skies, according to Al Jazeera’s reports.
A U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously, verified that the Al Udeid Air Base had indeed been targeted by missiles originating from Iran. The official stated, “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.”
Meanwhile, both the White House and the Department of Defense are keeping a close watch on the developments, especially regarding the safety of Al Udeid Air Base. Senior officials, choosing to remain unnamed due to the sensitive nature of the situation, emphasized the importance of ongoing surveillance in the area.
Eyewitnesses in Qatar described hearing the sounds of explosions, though immediate details concerning the targets or the extent of damage remained unavailable, as reported by Reuters and The Associated Press.
The missile strikes unfolded shortly after Qatar had taken the precautionary measure of closing its airspace. Concurrently, the U.S. Embassy had advised American citizens within the region to seek shelter immediately. This chain of events follows a recent operation over the weekend where U.S. B-2 bombers targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, further exacerbating the tension.
The government of Qatar has expressed strong disapproval of the attack. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari strongly condemned the acts by stating, “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 noted that the base had been evacuated prior to the assault.
This is a developing story and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
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