Tehran, June 23, 2025 — The Europe Today: Iran’s military announced on Monday that it had carried out a “devastating and powerful” missile strike on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions following American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
According to Iranian state media and a statement by the country’s top security body, the number of missiles used mirrored the quantity of bombs employed by the United States in its recent attacks on Iranian facilities, signaling a deliberate act of retaliation.
The missile attack prompted widespread explosions heard across the Qatari capital, Doha. In a separate report by The New York Times, three Iranian officials claimed that Tehran had coordinated the strike with Qatari authorities in advance to minimize civilian and military casualties.
Qatar’s Defence Minister, speaking to Al Jazeera, confirmed that the country’s air defence systems intercepted multiple incoming missiles aimed at Al Udeid, which houses the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Qatari authorities stated there were no casualties in the incident, condemned the attack in strong terms, and declared that Qatar “reserves the right to respond” in accordance with international law.
In anticipation of the strike, Qatar temporarily closed its airspace to safeguard residents and visitors. The US Embassy in Doha had earlier advised American citizens to shelter in place “out of an abundance of caution.”
Meanwhile, military sources reported that the US Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq activated its air defence systems amid fears of a similar strike. A senior White House official confirmed that the administration, along with the Department of Defense, is “closely monitoring” the situation around Al Udeid and other US regional assets.
The Iranian attack followed earlier warnings from Western diplomats about credible threats to American bases in the region in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets. Notably, on the same day as the missile strike, Israel reportedly targeted a prison in Tehran holding political detainees, further escalating the conflict beyond military and nuclear dimensions.
Despite Iranian warnings to potentially disrupt oil shipments in the Gulf, global oil markets remained relatively stable, indicating market skepticism about any immediate threat to global supply lines.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday, as Tehran sought strategic backing from its key international ally. Concurrently, Iran’s armed forces issued a warning of “serious, unpredictable consequences” for the United States in response to continued provocations.
The US State Department, citing the evolving conflict between Iran and Israel, issued a global advisory on Sunday urging American citizens to exercise increased caution.
The missile strike on Al Udeid marks one of the most direct confrontations between Iran and the United States in the Gulf region and signals a potentially volatile chapter in the broader Middle Eastern crisis.
