Iran launched a barrage of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday, in what it described as a retaliatory measure following American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. The Pentagon confirmed the attack and reported no casualties.
"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 Fox News and Axios. "At this time, there are no reports of U.S. casualties."
The Al-Udeid base, located southwest of Doha, is the largest American military installation in the Middle East and hosts more than 10,000 U.S. troops. It serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), supporting operations in Iraq and Syria, and houses strategic aircraft including B-52 bombers and RC-135 reconnaissance planes.
The missiles were intercepted by Qatari air defenses, and the attack caused no reported damage, according to Qatar's foreign ministry. "We reassure that Qatar's air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles," ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari posted on X. He called the assault "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar."
Qatari officials were reportedly notified in advance of the attack, which echoed Iran's calibrated response to the 2020 U.S. killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani. "Operation Fatah's Blessing against the American Al-Udeid base in Qatar has begun," Iranian state media declared as explosions were heard near Doha.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the number of missiles fired matched the 14 bunker-buster bombs dropped by U.S. B-2 bombers on Iranian nuclear targets Saturday. "This action did not pose any threat to our friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people," the Council said in a statement.
Iranian President Mahmoud Pezeshkian warned before the strike that Tehran would respond to "every wound on Iran's body with faith, wisdom, and determination." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed it had carried out the strike, declaring: "We warn our enemies that the era of hit and run is over."
U.S. officials had anticipated the attack. Satellite imagery showed U.S. forces moved many unhangered aircraft out of Al-Udeid in recent days, and sources told Axios that both Qatar and the Trump administration had "good advance warning" of the strike.
The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait limited access to base personnel, and the embassy in Bahrain shifted some staff to telework. The U.S., U.K., and China issued advisories Monday urging citizens in Qatar to shelter in place. Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates all closed their airspace during the attack.
Iran's military chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, issued a further warning to Washington, stating: "The criminal U.S. must know that... we will never back down in this regard." President Donald Trump, meeting with his national security team at the White House during the attack, had previously warned: "Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight."
The strike comes just weeks after President Trump visited Al-Udeid on May 15 and signed a $1 billion arms agreement with Qatar. The timing of the Iranian response raised alarms across Gulf capitals already on edge due to widening conflict between Iran and Israel.
