Iran Strikes US Base in Qatar, Iraq, as Gulf States Brace for Potential Escalation
Qatar reports no casualties from Iran’s missile attack, which Iran described as a “mighty and successful response” to the US strike on Iranian nuclear sites
By Hudhaifa Ebrahim/The Media Line
Iran launched a missile attack Monday on the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Iraq’s Ain al-Assad base, retaliating for American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Qatar’s Defense Ministry reported that no damage or casualties had been caused, and its Foreign Ministry said that the country had the right to respond to the attack in a proportional manner adhering to international law.
Damage to the Iraqi base is still unclear.
Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the forward headquarters of US Central Command, is the largest American military installation in the Middle East, and many suspected it may be on Iran’s list of potential targets. Hours before the strike, Qatar closed its airspace and the US and UK embassies advised their citizens in the country to shelter in place.
Iranian state media claimed the attack as “a mighty and successful response” to what it called US aggression, broadcasting the announcement with martial music. “We neither initiated the war nor seeking it,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X shortly before the missiles were launched. “But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.”
Qatar, which shares a major natural gas field with Iran, maintains diplomatic ties with Tehran despite hosting US forces.
The strike followed a weekend US bombing campaign that used 30,000-pound “bunker-buster” bombs to target underground nuclear facilities in Iran. President Donald Trump later suggested the Iranian government could be overthrown, further escalating tensions.
Washington had assessed that Tehran might retaliate against US forces in the region. Several Gulf states also activated their emergency plans earlier to confront any potential Iranian attacks on US bases on their territory, while other countries have raised their security preparedness to the highest possible level.
“The systems in Saudi Arabia and all the Gulf states can intercept any military attacks or missiles that Iran might launch against these countries,” Mohammed Al-Turki, a retired Saudi military officer, told The Media Line, speaking before the Iranian strike on Qatar. “These systems have not been stressed as they are in Israel, and they are equipped and operating at maximum capacity now. There is more than one system deployed, and the US forces in the region also have systems to monitor all missiles and drones.”
Immediately following the initial Israel strike on Iran, Bahrain activated its emergency committee. It also cut short the vacations of all military personnel and medical personnel and asked residents of buildings surrounding the US base to evacuate.
Bahrain also deployed its forces to various vital locations to confront any potential attacks by pro-Iranian Shiite citizens. It announced that government offices, schools, an universities would operate remotely Sunday and Monday.
The US Embassy in Bahrain asked its employees to “work remotely” in a decision issued Monday morning, June 23, while also urging its citizens to exercise caution to avoid any potential attacks.
“Since Friday, as many beds as possible have been emptied, and all staff are operating according to emergency plans, working around the clock,” Mohammed Ahmed, a nurse at a Bahraini hospital, told The Media Line.
Eyewitnesses in Bahrain confirmed to The Media Line that security forces were deployed near the airport and around vital military installations, foreign embassies, and several major streets in the country.
Kuwait announced its readiness with the same measures announced by Bahrain. It also announced that its underground shelters were equipped with the latest equipment to accommodate a larger number of citizens.
Rajesh Nohmand, an Indian emergency physician working at a Kuwaiti hospital, told The Media Line, “We have been informed that as many beds as possible are needed. This is done by discharging the non-emergency patients to leave the hospital, and we are not admitting any patients who are not in a very urgent situation.”
Other than temporarily closing its airspace, Qatar did not announce additional precautionary measures.
The rest of the Gulf states did not announce any other measures. However, all military sectors and medical personnel had their vacations immediately cut short and returned to work according to emergency plans. No official announcement has been made regarding alternative evacuation plans, given the distance of military bases from residential areas.
All Gulf states have also activated nuclear radiation monitoring centers, which monitor radiation around the clock, for fear of any radiation leak from any of Iran’s nuclear reactors. Iran’s Bushehr reactor is the closest to the Gulf states.
Among the Gulf countries, Bahrain and Kuwait are the closest to Iran, just a several-hour boat ride away. The distance from Kuwait is less than 150 miles, and the distance from Bahrain and Qatar is just under 200 miles.
The US 5th Fleet is headquartered in Bahrain, housing approximately 8,000 US civilian and military personnel. This base has been evacuated and its ships withdrawn to sea.
Kuwait’s bases host approximately 13,000 US troops. The UAE hosts Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts approximately 5,000 US troops, and Saudi Arabia hosts more than 2,700 personnel at Prince Sultan Air Base.
Around 600 US troops are based in Oman, not stationed at any specific base. Oman is considered the least affected by any Iranian threats, given its close relationship with Iran.
“Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait are the countries directly threatened by Iran, given Iran’s indirect accusation that they facilitated Operation Nighthammer, which targeted three nuclear facilities early Sunday morning,” a well-informed Gulf source told The Media Line, speaking before the Iranian strike on Qatar.
He added that all systems were operating at maximum capacity and that any attack would likely not last long.
Leah Schwartz contributed to this report.
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