Doha: Iranian armed forces have launched a missile barrage at American military bases in Qatar in a retaliatory operation a day after Iranian nuclear sites were targeted by US bombers.
The retaliatory strike — codenamed “Annunciation of Victory” — comes just one day after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Iran’s main nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Iranian officials called the U.S. attacks an “act of blatant military aggression” and vowed to retaliate forcefully.
In a statement released Monday evening, Iran’s armed forces said the missile strike targeted Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and a critical node in the Pentagon’s military architecture across West Asia.
Established in 1996, Al Udeid Air Base is a vital hub for air, drone, intelligence, and logistics operations across the Middle East. It has supported key U.S. campaigns in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, and serves as the main launch pad for American air power in the region.
Covering over 60 acres, the base can accommodate close to 100 aircraft and is integral to coordination between U.S. and allied forces, including those in Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia — all of which host significant American military infrastructure.
Iran’s direct strike on a U.S. base represents a red-line escalation in the ongoing Iran-Israel-U.S. conflict, raising fears of a wider regional war. Until now, Iran had largely limited its retaliatory strikes to Israeli targets.
This attack could force the U.S. into retaliatory action of its own, potentially drawing in multiple regional players, many of whom host vulnerable American assets.
