Doha – Iran fired 14 ballistic missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar late Tuesday in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear facilities. All missiles were intercepted, and no casualties have been reported.
The strike targeted the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East. Al Udeid serves as the central command hub for U.S. air operations across the region. Around 8,000 American citizens live in Qatar, and the base also hosts British forces on rotation.
Witnesses in Doha heard loud blasts in the sky as air defenses engaged incoming projectiles. Videos showed bright flashes overhead, confirming missile interceptions. The attack, confirmed by both Iranian and U.S. officials, marks the most direct escalation between Tehran and Washington in over a decade.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard released a statement hours after the strike. “We will not leave any attack on our sovereignty unanswered,” the message read. It also warned that U.S. bases “are not strengths, but vulnerabilities.”
The strike followed U.S. attacks on three of Iran’s nuclear sites on Saturday. Washington said the mission aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons. The full extent of damage to Iranian infrastructure remains unclear.
Before the missile launch, U.S. and U.K. embassies in Qatar advised citizens to shelter indoors. Qatar briefly closed its airspace. Nearly 100 flights were diverted away from Hamad International Airport, one of the busiest in the world.
Although Iran’s state media confirmed the missile attack, officials in Tehran reportedly alerted Qatar in advance to prevent loss of life. U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged the warning, stating, “Thank you to Iran for the early notice, which helped prevent any loss of life.” He called the strike “very weak” and said, “They’ve gotten it all out of their system.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei defended the move. “We have not violated anyone, and we will in no way accept being violated by anyone,” he said in a statement posted on X.
Qatar, however, condemned the missile strike. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry described the attack as a “flagrant violation of sovereignty” and emphasized Qatar’s early warnings about rising tensions in the region.
U.S. officials noted that missile launchers had been positioned hours earlier, and intelligence sources signaled an imminent strike. Media reports also indicated that U.S. forces identified the threat shortly before the missiles were launched.
Qatar and neighboring countries, including Bahrain and Kuwait, briefly closed airspace during the alert. Commercial air traffic was rerouted across the Gulf region in anticipation of further escalation.
The missile exchange is part of a broader conflict that intensified after Israel launched strikes against Iranian targets on June 13. Israel has continued bombing what it claims are facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran insists its nuclear efforts are solely for civilian use.
As the dust settles in Doha, questions remain about whether Tuesday’s missile attack ends the current cycle of retaliation or begins a new phase in the growing confrontation.
