* Strike a retaliation for American assault on nuclear facilities
* Poses no threat to sister state of Qatar
* Missile hit Al Udeid Air Base, no casualties – Qatar Foreign Minister
Iran said it launched a “devastating and powerful” missile attack at the United States’ Al-Udeid base in Qatar on Monday, in retaliation for the US strikes on their nuclear facilities over the weekend.
Eyewitnesses reported to Middle East Eye (MEE) seeing blasts from across Doha.
Video footage shared with MEE showed missiles flying above the gleaming skyscrapers and marina of the Qatari capital. In another video, air defence systems appeared to be engaging the missiles.
Qatar’s Al Jazeera news network cited the defence minister as saying that Qatari air defence systems intercepted missiles fired at Al-Udeid and aired footage of fallen debris assumed to be from a missile interception.
Qatar has confirmed that a total of 19 missiles were fired from Iran, adding that only one of those hit Al Udeid Air Base but caused no casualties.
“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack that targeted Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. We consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law and the United Nations Charter,” Qatari’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said.
His statement called for an “immediate cessation of all military actions and for a serious return to the negotiating table”, adding that “the State of Qatar was one of the first countries to warn against the dangers of Israeli escalation in the region”.
There were no casualties or injuries to Qatari armed forces or “friendly forces” from the attack, the statement added.
The Iranian Supreme National Security Council said that the strike was away from residential areas and was not directed at Qatar.
“This action does not pose any threat to the friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people, and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to maintaining and continuing warm and historic relations with Qatar,” the council said in a statement.
Qatar is home to the US’s Al-Udeid military base, which hosts roughly 10,000 soldiers and serves as the regional headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM). CENTCOM directs US military operations across territory stretching from Egypt to Kazakhstan.
At least 10 missiles were launched towards Qatar from Iran and at least one missile was launched towards Iraq, according to a report by Axios.
Reuters reported that an air defence system was also activated at the US’s Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq and Tasnim News Agency, an Iranian state-run outlet, said that both Qatar and Iraq were targets of the retaliation.
Earlier, before the reports of an attack, Qatar had temporarily closed its airspace.
Qatar says security situation ‘stable’ after Iranian attack
Qatar’s Interior Ministry says there is “no cause for concern” following Iran’s attack.
A statement by the ministry stressed “the importance of not giving in to rumours or circulating inaccurate information”.
It called on the residents of the country “to refrain from sharing or reposting any information not issued by official sources”.
The ministry vowed to “take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens and residents, and to maintain the normalcy of public life”.
Where is Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar?
Al Udeid Air Base is a self-contained facility located about 50-60km (30-37 miles) outside Doha city centre.
The air base is far removed from the urban centre, and the civilian population has no interaction with it or with the military personnel stationed there.
It is located off Salwa Road, the road connecting Doha to the border with Saudi Arabia.
It is entirely self-contained – just as it was designed to be when the Qataris built it in 1996.
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