Iran on Monday claimed it had launched a missile strike on the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, America’s largest military installation in West Asia, marking a dramatic escalation in regional tensions. The attack, dubbed Operation Besharat Fatah, was described by Tehran as a “devastating and powerful missile attack” carried out in response to the United States bombing three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. The International Atomic Energy Agency is currently assessing the damage to those nuclear facilities.
“The number of missiles used in this successful operation was equal to the number of bombs the United States used in its assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The targeted base was also located far from urban areas and residential zones in Qatar, ensuring minimal risk to civilians,” read a statement from the Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
A spokesman for Iran’s Armed Forces confirmed that the missile strikes were executed by the Revolutionary Guards Corps, the ideological arm of the Iranian military.
US President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social hours later, said that Iran had given prior notice before the attack, allowing US forces to take precautionary measures.
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump wrote.
“Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same… CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!”
The Al-Udeid air base, southwest of Doha, hosts about 10,000 U.S. troops and nearly 100 aircraft. Following the attack, Qatar temporarily closed its airspace and condemned the strike as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Israel launched what it called an “unprecedentedly powerful strike” on targets across Iran, from Tehran to Kermanshah. Sirens also sounded in Israel as Iran responded with another salvo of missiles.
In Moscow, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Tehran expects Russian support, Moscow has remained cautious, avoiding deeper involvement in the conflict.
(With inputs from agencies)