Politics Iran attacks US base in Qatar in retaliation
Iran has attacked a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for the bombing of its nuclear facilities. The operation called "Promise of Victory" has begun, according to a statement by the state news agency Irna. According to media reports, missiles were also fired at targets in Iraq.
23.06.2025, 19:14
SDA
The attack in the Qatari capital Doha was aimed at the Al-Udeid airbase, as Iran's state radio reported. It was initially unclear which targets in Iraq were attacked. An Israeli representative told several media outlets that Iran had fired a total of ten missiles at US targets in Qatar. Qatar had announced the closure of its airspace shortly before the attacks.
Eyewitnesses in Doha reported that the sound of explosions could be heard for two minutes. Flying objects, presumably drones, had flown in the sky.
At the weekend, the United States entered the war between Israel and Iran, which began on June 13. In addition to the uranium enrichment facility in Fordo, they also attacked the facility in Natan with bunker-busting bombs. A nuclear facility in Isfahan was also bombed. Iran's government condemned the attack as contrary to international law.
Shortly before confirming the attacks in Qatar and Iraq, Iranian President Massud Peseshkian wrote on X: "We have neither started nor sought war. But we will not let the aggression against Iran go unanswered."
Attack also likely to strain relations between Iran and Qatar
The attack is also likely to put a considerable strain on relations between the Gulf emirate of Qatar and Tehran. The country is actually seen as a mediator between the Islamic Republic and the West. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, also maintains good contacts with the Iranian government.
The Al-Udeid airbase on the outskirts of the Qatari capital Doha is one of the most important US bases in the Middle East. According to reports, around 10,000 soldiers and civilian personnel are normally stationed there. The base is also the command center of the US military in the region. The headquarters of the US Regional Command (Centcom) for the Middle East is located in Tampa, Florida.
According to US media reports, key military aircraft normally based in Qatar have been redeployed to other bases, particularly in Europe, in view of possible attacks.
Other US military bases are located in Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq, among others. A total of around 40,000 US soldiers are stationed in the region.
Most recently, the USA and Iran negotiated the controversial nuclear program under the mediation of the Gulf state of Oman. However, the talks came to a standstill due to considerable differences over the issue of uranium enrichment. The USA is demanding a complete halt, which Tehran considers to be a red line.
USA and Iran already on the brink of war in 2020
Iran had already attacked a US base in Iraq with missiles in 2020 after US President Donald Trump had the powerful General Ghassem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign unit, killed. Even then, both countries were on the brink of war.
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the USA has been considered the archenemy of the Iranian leadership. In the same year, students occupied the US embassy in Tehran, which led to a break in diplomatic relations. However, many millions of Iranians want better relations with the West and have rejected the country's leadership for decades.
