Iran has retaliated against Donald Trump’s bombs on its nuclear facilities, launching missile strikes against a major US base in Qatar.
Explosions were seen in the skies as Doha successfully intercepted the short- and medium-range ballistic weapons and condemned the attack as “a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, airspace, and international law.”
It was forced to closed its airspace before the attack, forcing the diversion of passenger jets away from the busy Doha airport.
In a statement, President Trump called Iran’s “expected” attacks a “very weak response.”
“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” he added.
Of the 14 missiles fired, 13 were “knocked down” and another was “set free” as it was “headed in a nonthreatening direction,” he said.
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured,” Trump added. “Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.”
An hour before the attacks, officials with knowledge of the situation in Qatar told The Independent that the tiny Gulf country was already preparing for “the worst-case scenario,” as it hosts the largest American regional base.
Iran reportedly coordinated the strikes with Qatari officials in an apparent effort to minimize casualties.
Al-Udeid Air Base, which is located in the desert outside the capital Doha, is the largest in the region, hosting around 10,000 U.S. troops. It serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command, which directs American military operations across a vast area stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east.
General Joseph Votel, the former commander of U.S. Central Command, told The Independent that Iran’s comparatively restrained attack on the Qatari base “might be a combination of off-ramping and the fact they are running out of resources.”
The four-star retired general who served as CENTCOM chief until 2019 said it seemed that Tehran “was trying to send a signal that they had to respond but are ready to off-ramp,” which could pave the way for no further action from Washington.
“I don’t know if there’s motivation to escalate this,” he added.
Monday’s strikes follow Saturday’s U.S. operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, marking explicit U.S. intervention into Israel’s war with Iran that could spark a wider international crisis.
Trump claimed the operation “completely, totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, though the extent of the damage is in dispute. Satellite images from the aftermath of the airstrikes show significant damage to the nuclear sites — but not to the extent the president has claimed.
“Remember, there are many targets left,” Trump said in a brief address to the nation on June 21, roughly two hours after announcing a “very successful” strike.
“If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes,” he added.
Top administration officials have claimed that the United States does not seek regime change in Iran or envision a protracted war that could spill out beyond Iran’s borders, but the president has suggested otherwise.
Iranian officials have argued the United States has entered a war as they consider the scale of a retaliatory response.
“We neither initiated the war nor are seeking it. But we will not leave an invasion of the great Iran unanswered,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said its air defenses had successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missile.
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the closure of its airspace in a statement posted to social media on Monday, asserting the move was taken “in order to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors.”
The immediate impact has seen flights grounded, with Qatar Airways yet to comment on the disruption to its operations. Airlines across the wider region are now reviewing their routes, leading to some services being rerouted or diverted mid-air.
The airspace closure comes just hours after the UK Foreign Office advised British nationals in Qatar to “shelter in place” following a US security alert. Separately, the UK Foreign Office is advising against all travel to Iran and urges British nationals in the region to follow local guidance.
It has also updated its travel advice for Qatar, warning British nationals to shelter in place “out of an abundance of caution” following a U.S. security alert in the country.
“Following a U.S. security alert for U.S. nationals in Qatar, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice,” according to the notice. “The FCDO is in contact with local authorities and international partners, and will provide further updates as the situation develops.”
The base also hosts British forces. No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group, part of the Royal Air Force, is headquartered at Al Udeid and leads UK air operations in the region.
On Monday, flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed a Qatar Airways service from Gatwick to Doha make a sharp diversion shortly before entering Qatari airspace.
