Iran announces the use of missiles against US bases in Qatar and Iraq. Eyewitnesses report explosions in Doha. Qatar strongly condemns the attack. According to the Pentagon, initial reports indicate no injuries.
Iran attacked a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for the bombing of its nuclear facilities. The operation, dubbed"Promise of Victory," has begun, according to a statement by the state news agency IRNA. According to media reports, missiles were also fired at targets in Iraq.
The attack in the Qatari capital Doha targeted the Al-Udeid air base, according to Iranian state broadcaster. It is currently unclear which targets were attacked in Iraq.
According to the US Department of Defense, initial findings indicate that no US citizens were injured. The Al Udeid air base was attacked with short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, a ministry official stated."At this time, there are no reports of American casualties." The situation is being closely monitored, he added.
The US broadcaster Fox News reported that President Donald Trump summoned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and military officials to a briefing at the White House.
Eyewitnesses in Doha reported hearing explosions for two minutes. Flying objects, presumably drones, were seen in the sky.
According to Iranian sources, the same number of bombs were used that the US used in the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. The US base is located far from populated areas. The statement to Qatar stated that the operation poses no threat to"our friendly and brotherly neighbor."
Qatar: Air defense systems have thwarted attack
Qatar, in turn, strongly condemned the Iranian attack. Its air defense systems thwarted the attack and successfully intercepted the Iranian missiles. It was a"flagrant violation" of the country's sovereignty and airspace.
“Qatar reserves the right to respond directly and within a framework commensurate with the scale of this blatant aggression and in accordance with international law,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari.
The New York Times, citing three Iranian government officials, reports that the attack on the US base was coordinated with the authorities in Qatar. Furthermore, advance warning was given to keep the number of casualties as low as possible. According to the report, Iran felt the need to carry out a symbolic counterattack against the US, but wanted to leave both sides an opportunity to end the fighting. No statements from the governments in Tehran and Washington regarding the report are currently available.
Gulf states close airspace
Meanwhile, the Gulf states of Bahrain and Kuwait have closed their airspace. The Bahraini Ministry of Transport announced the temporary suspension of air traffic in the kingdom's airspace as a precautionary measure. People are urged to seek shelter in nearby buildings until the danger has passed, according to a further statement from the Ministry of the Interior.
Kuwait also announced the closure of its airspace and airports"in the interest of the country's security." Iraq closed its last active airport in Basra in the south of the country, the Ministry of Transport announced. The country had already almost completely shut down air traffic since the outbreak of the war.
Over the weekend, the United States entered the war between Israel and Iran. They attacked the uranium enrichment facility in Fordow and the facility in Natanz with bunker-busting bombs. A nuclear facility in Isfahan was also bombed. The Iranian government condemned the attack as a violation of international law.
Shortly before the attacks in Qatar and Iraq were confirmed, Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian wrote on X:"We neither started nor sought war. But we will not let the aggression against Iran go unanswered."
dpa/AP/AFP/Reuters/lay
