Iran announced on Monday that it had launched a “powerful and destructive” missile strike targeting the U.S. Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar, just days after American forces bombed underground Iranian nuclear facilities using heavy bunker-buster bombs. The attack marks a dramatic escalation in an already volatile standoff between Tehran and Washington.
The explosions, which reverberated across Doha, came in the wake of Tehran's warnings that it would retaliate for the weekend's U.S. airstrikes — strikes that aligned Washington directly with Israel’s ongoing aerial campaign against Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, added fuel to the fire by suggesting the Iranian regime could face collapse.
Qatar’s defense ministry, speaking to Al Jazeera, said its air defense systems intercepted the incoming projectiles aimed at the Al Udeid base — the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, located just across the Gulf from Iranian territory. The Qatari government confirmed there were no casualties but strongly condemned the assault, asserting its right to respond if necessary.
The attack occurred hours after a Western diplomatic source told Reuters that credible threats had emerged against U.S. military installations in the Gulf following the American strikes on Iranian targets.
In anticipation of possible escalation, U.S. forces at the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq activated their air defense systems, according to military sources cited by Reuters.
A senior official in Washington said both the White House and the Pentagon are closely tracking the situation around the Al Udeid base, concerned about further Iranian action.
Shortly before the attack, Qatari authorities had temporarily closed the country’s airspace “in the interest of public safety.” This followed a security alert issued by the U.S. embassy in Doha, which urged American citizens to shelter in place out of precaution.
Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence officials told American media that Iran could launch further attacks against American forces in the region, although diplomatic efforts were still underway to prevent additional Iranian retaliation.
Earlier the same day, Israel carried out a significant airstrike on a detention center in Tehran used to hold political prisoners, signaling a shift in Israeli strategy toward targeting the political infrastructure of Iran’s leadership in addition to its military assets.
Despite Tehran’s earlier threats to disrupt oil shipments through the Gulf, oil markets remained stable on Monday, suggesting that traders viewed the prospect of an Iranian blockade as unlikely in the immediate term.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as Iran looks to secure international backing — especially from key allies — in the face of mounting military and political pressure.