Iran targeted U.S. military bases in the Middle East on Monday in retaliation for the U.S. military’s bombing of three of its nuclear facilities over the weekend.
Iranian forces targeted Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, though it’s still unclear what, if any, impact the strikes had.
“I can confirm that al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today,” a U.S. defense official told the Washington Examiner. “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 spokesman for the Qatari ministry of foreign affairs, condemned the retaliatory attack, said that Qatari air defense had intercepted the Iranian missiles, and warned they reserve “the right to respond directly.”
“The base had been evacuated earlier in accordance with approved security and precautionary procedures, amid the tensions witnessed in the region,” Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari said. “All measures were taken to ensure the safety of personnel at the base, including members of the Qatari Armed Forces, friendly forces, and others, confirming that no injuries or human losses occurred as a result of the attack.”
In addition, Ansari urged a “cessation of all military actions and a serious return to the table of negotiations and dialogue.”
A U.S. base in Iraq was reportedly targeted as well, according to CNN.
Iran’s state TV announced the start of Iran’s “Operation Glad Tidings of Victory” targeting U.S. forces in Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE THREE IRAN NUCLEAR SITES TARGETED IN US STRIKES
The U.S. military was prepared for such an attack.
“What I will say is we’re being proactive and not reactive and being very thoughtful about ensuring that we do all that we can to protect our forces out there,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Sunday. Caine and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were both reportedly in the White House’s Situation Room on Monday monitoring the Iranian response.
The clear broadcasting of Iran’s likely retaliation could be an indication that they felt an obligation to respond but didn’t want to escalate the conflict further – like how they responded following the U.S.’s assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.
U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have warned that if Iran launches an attack on U.S. troops, it would respond further.
The U.S. military bombed three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow on Saturday. The operations target their most hardened and underground facilities. Their operation came slightly more than a week after the Israelis began its military campaign against Iran.
The Israelis are continuing their military operations against Iran even as the U.S. has pulled back, saying their efforts had a very narrow focus.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
