SRINAGAR: Iran launched a coordinated missile assault on American military installations in Qatar and Iraq on Monday, claiming it was a direct response to US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities over the weekend. The strikes, which Tehran dubbed “a mighty and successful response,” mark the most serious escalation in the region since the current conflict with Israel erupted nearly two weeks ago.
According to Associated Press (AP), Iranian missiles targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—home to approximately 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of US Central Command (CENTCOM)—and the Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq. While the full extent of damage at Ain al-Assad remains unclear, Qatar said it intercepted the incoming missiles and reported no casualties.
“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack that targeted Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard,” Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement quoted by CNN. “We consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law, and the United Nations Charter.”
CBS News reported that explosions were heard over Doha as flares lit up the sky. Qatar’s Defence Ministry confirmed its air defences had “thwarted the attack” and stated that “there were no injuries.” The country temporarily shut its airspace, and US and UK embassies issued shelter-in-place advisories.
The Iranian operation was codenamed “Annunciation of Victory”, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, and was officially confirmed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Al Jazeera said Iran claimed the number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs dropped by the US during its strike on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan on Sunday.
CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter, that Iranian officials gave Qatar advance warning in a bid to reduce the possibility of casualties and preserve diplomatic flexibility. The coordination was described as a calculated move to send a strong message while keeping escalation within bounds.
A US official told CNN that there were no known American injuries at Al Udeid, and troops were sheltering in place. CBS News reported that the White House and the Pentagon were “aware of and closely monitoring” threats to the base.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X shortly before the missiles were launched, “We neither initiated the war nor are we seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.” Iran also said it targeted Al Udeid because it is situated outside populated areas, according to AP.
In Iraq, an unnamed security official told AP that the Ain al-Assad base was also struck by Iranian missiles. No further information on damage or casualties was available at the time.
The strikes come in direct response to the weekend’s unprecedented US bombardment of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to AP, the United States used stealth bombers and 30,000-pound bunker-buster munitions to attack three sites, significantly escalating the standoff that began with Israeli strikes in Iran.
The IRGC accused the US of “practically placing itself at the forefront of aggression” by attacking facilities it insists are peaceful. “The number, dispersion, and size of US military bases in the region are not a strength, but have doubled their vulnerability,” the Guard said in a statement cited by CBS News.
On the same day, Israeli forces intensified their campaign, striking key symbols of Iran’s regime in Tehran, including the gate of Evin prison, known for housing political detainees and dual nationals, and the headquarters of internal security units. The Israeli military posted on X that it would continue targeting military sites around Tehran in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Iranian retaliation against Israel also continued on Monday. Iranian state television announced a third wave of “Operation True Promise,” claiming to have launched missiles at Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. AP reported explosions in Jerusalem, while Israel’s emergency rescue service Magen David Adom said there were no reports of casualties from that round of attacks.
The death toll on both sides continues to climb. According to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, cited by AP, Iranian casualties from Israeli strikes stand at over 950 dead and 3,450 injured, including at least 380 civilians and 253 members of the security forces. In Israel, 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured since the start of the war.
With tensions at a boiling point, calls for de-escalation are gaining urgency. Iranian military chief Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi warned the US that its strike had given Iranian forces a “free hand” to respond to American interests in the region, according to state-run IRNA, as quoted by AP.
In Vienna, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi told the agency’s board that Iran had notified him on June 13 that it had taken “special measures” to safeguard its nuclear material. He also said any movement of nuclear material must be declared, though Iran had not done so.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, after meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow, called the Israeli and American attacks “absolutely unprovoked aggression,” AP reported. Russia remains one of Iran’s key allies and has previously criticised US actions in the region.
The White House maintains that Sunday’s strike on Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan was a one-time operation. However, in a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump, under whose command the attack was launched, posed an ominous question, “If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that Trump was “simply raising a question.”
