Doha: The Middle East stands on the brink of a wider military conflict after Iran launched a direct missile attack on the United States’ Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, firing 10 ballistic missiles late Monday night in what Tehran has dubbed “Operation Annunciation of Victory.”
The strike came just hours after Qatar abruptly closed its airspace, citing urgent security concerns. Explosions were heard across Doha, and video footage flooding social media showed the city’s sky lit up by air defense interceptors in action as Iranian missiles targeted the heavily fortified US base just outside the Qatari capital.
Airbase on High Alert
The Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts approximately 10,000 American troops and serves as the forward headquarters of the US Central Command, was immediately placed under maximum alert following the barrage. British forces, who also operate from the base, were reportedly moved to reinforced shelters as sirens blared across multiple Gulf locations, including Bahrain.
A Reuters eyewitness reported hearing a series of loud explosions over Doha shortly after 10:30 PM local time. The Coalition Air Operations Center at Al Udeid, a critical command hub for the region, was among the reported targets.
An unnamed Western diplomat confirmed to international media that “a credible threat” had been detected earlier in the day, prompting allied military forces to prepare for a possible Iranian retaliation following the US’s recent bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities under Operation Midnight Hammer, carried out over the weekend.
Iran Confirms Strike
Iran’s Tasnim news agency officially confirmed that the missile salvo targeting US military installations in Iraq and Qatar was launched under the military operation it called “Annunciation of Victory.” The attack marks a major escalation in the already volatile regional situation and is believed to be the first direct missile assault on the US presence in Qatar since the 2003 Iraq War era.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has framed the operation as a “decisive response to American aggression”, referencing the deadly strike on Iranian nuclear assets which they claim resulted in significant casualties.
Qatar in Crisis Mode
Earlier in the day, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs suspended all civilian and military air traffic across its airspace, calling the decision a “precautionary measure to protect the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors.”
US and UK embassies issued emergency alerts advising nationals to shelter in place, warning of a “potentially imminent threat” hours before the missiles began to rain down.
