Iran launches missile strike on US bases in Qatar, Iraq in response to nuclear site bombings

Iran has launched a significant missile assault targeting US military installations in the Middle East, marking a sharp escalation in regional hostilities following US airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.

According to an Israeli defence official, Iran fired at least ten missiles toward US bases in Qatar and one toward Iraq in late hours of June 23, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The missile barrage targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the region and home to US Central Command (CENTCOM). Simultaneously, air defence systems were activated at Iraq’s Ain al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province, which also hosts American personnel.

Shortly after the attack, explosions were reported over Doha, according tomedia reports. The strike followed Qatar’s decision to temporarily close its airspace, a precautionary measure amid rising tensions.

The missile campaign, officially dubbed “Blessings of Victory” by Tehran, was confirmed by Iran’s state-run news agency. A senior White House official acknowledged the development, stating: “The White House and the Department of Defence are aware of, and closely monitoring, potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.”

The White House has yet to release details on casualties or material damage. However, satellite imagery has shown that many aircraft had been repositioned from Al Udeid in recent weeks—possibly in anticipation of heightened threats. British forces also operate from the base on a rotational basis.

The Iranian attack is being viewed as the most substantial direct assault on US military assets since January 2020, when Iran retaliated for the assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander General Qasem Soleimani.

Tensions reached a breaking point over the weekend when President Donald Trump authorized strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Tehran condemned the bombings, stating the attacks had “crossed a big red line” and promised severe retaliation.

Earlier, Iran’s armed forces had issued a stark warning, pledging to inflict “serious, unpredictable consequences” on the United States in response to its actions—warnings that materialized just hours later with the missile strikes.

By Vafa Guliyeva