By Ayomide Otitoju
Iran launched missile attacks on U.S. military bases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday evening, in what state media described as a forceful retaliation for recent American airstrikes on its nuclear sites.
State broadcaster IRNA reported that the operation, dubbed “Blessing of Victory,” began with coordinated missile launches targeting American installations, including the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—home to the largest U.S. military presence in the region. Explosions were heard in Doha, according to AFP correspondents on the ground.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed the strikes in a statement, calling them a “measured and proportional response” to the U.S. bombing of key nuclear facilities. “The number of missiles used was the same as the number of bombs that the U.S. used in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities,” the council said.
Meanwhile, Qatari authorities reported that their air defense systems had successfully intercepted the missiles. “The incident did not result in any deaths or injuries,” the Ministry of Defense confirmed.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and asserted its right to respond. “The State of Qatar reserves the right to respond directly in a manner proportional to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression,” said ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari.
The U.S. evacuated its personnel from the base ahead of the assault, according to Qatari officials.
The attacks mark a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran, with regional governments and international observers now closely monitoring for further military or diplomatic fallout.
