Iran attacks US' Al Udeid base in Qatar; missiles intercepted, says Doha

Sounds of several explosions were heard over Qatari capital Doha

Iran said Monday night it attacked American forces stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. It made the announcement on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression.”

The attack came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran.

Qatar hosts thousands of American service members at the Al Udeid Air base.

Al Udeid is the regional headquarters for US Central Command, which oversees the American military in the Middle East. There are about 9,000 US service members in gas-rich Qatar, which sits just across the Persian Gulf from Iran.

Qatar says 'successfully intercepted' missiles targeting US base

Qatar on condemned an Iranian attack on the largest US military base in the region, hosted in the Gulf state, calling it a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty.

"We express the State of Qatar's strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law," foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement.

Qatar also said it had successfully intercepted an Iranian missile attack Monday on the United States' Al Udeid base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East.

"The Ministry of Defense announced that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted a missile attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base," it said in a statement, adding that "the incident did not result in any deaths or injuries".

Earlier, explosions were heard over Qatar's capital Doha on Monday, a Reuters witness reported, shortly after a Western diplomat said there had been a credible Iranian threat against the U.S.-run al Udeid air base in the Gulf Arab state since midday.

The diplomat spoke soon after Qatar announced it had closed its air space temporarily to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Earlier, the U.S. embassy in Qatar had advised Americans to shelter in place, out of what it said was "an abundance of caution".

Iran has issued threats to retaliate against the United States after U.S. bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on the country's underground nuclear installations over the weekend, while President Donald Trump openly raised the possibility of the Iranian government being toppled.

Israel struck a jail for political prisoners in Tehran in a potent demonstration that it was expanding its targets beyond military and nuclear sites to aim squarely at the pillars of Iran's ruling system.

Two U.S. officials said Washington assessed that Iran could carry out attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East soon, although the U.S. is still seeking a diplomatic resolution that would see Tehran forgo any reprisal.

Despite Iran's threats to challenge oil shipments from the Gulf, oil prices largely held steady, suggesting traders doubted the Islamic Republic would follow through on any action that would disrupt global supplies.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as Tehran sought backing from one of its last major power friends for its next steps.

With Agency Inputs