TEHRAN: Iran’s military said it carried out a missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar on Mon-day after explosions were heard across Doha following Tehran’s threat to retaliate for US airstrikes on its nuclear sites.
The Iranian military said the attack was “devastating and powerful” but US officials said no US person-nel were killed or injured in the attack on the airbase, the largest US military installation in the Middle East.
Iran will continue its retaliation in response to US attacks, a senior Iranian official told Reuters. He add-ed that Iran possesses the necessary rationality to pursue diplomacy—but only after punishing the aggressor. “If the United States seeks negotiations, Israeli and US attacks must stop,” he said.
However, Qatar said that the security situation was “stable”. “The Ministry of Interior confirms… that the security situation in the country is stable, and there is no cause for concern,” the government said in a statement.
Iran had issued threats to retaliate after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Irani-an underground nuclear sites at the weekend, joining Israel’s air war against Tehran, and President Donald Trump mooted the possibility of the Iranian government being toppled. No Iranian attacks were detected at any US military base other than in Qatar, a US military official told Reuters. The offi-cial added that there was no impact on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Meanwhile, military sources said air defence systems were activated at the US Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq amid concerns over a potential attack.
The main remaining US base in northeast Syria was on full alert and mobilised for possible attacks by Iran or Iran-aligned groups, a Syrian security source told Reuters. Known as Qasrak, the base is one of two US military installations in Hasakah province, where American troops are stationed.
In addition, the US Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq activated its air defence system amid concerns over a potential attack, military sources told Reuters. A senior White House official said the White House and the Defense Department are closely monitoring potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base. –Agencies
