(Forelines)– Iranian military stated following Tehran’s warning to retaliate for U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear sites, it launched a missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S. airbase in Qatar on Monday after hearing explosions throughout the capital, according to Reuters report.
The attack on the airfield, the biggest American military facility in the Middle East, was described as “devastating and strong” by the Iranian military, but according to U.S. sources, no American soldiers were killed or injured, as per Reuters report.
A senior regional source told Reuters that Iran had notified the U.S. through two diplomatic channels hours before the attack, along with Qatari authorities, after Washington warned it not to respond or face significant U.S. military action.
The largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, Al Udeid Air Base, was the target of missiles that Qatar’s air defenses had intercepted, the country’s defense minister told Al Jazeera, cited by Reuters.
Following U.S. bombers dropping 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iranian underground nuclear facilities over the weekend, joining Israel’s air war against Tehran, Iran threatened to retaliate against the United States, and President Trump hinted at the possible overthrow of the Iran’s government, as per the report.
Shortly after the historically significant U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility, a Western diplomat told Reuters that a U.S. military installation in the Gulf state had been seriously threatened.
After getting the advance warning from Iran, Qatar, which is located directly across the Gulf from Iran, closed its airspace, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.
According to military sources, quoted by Reuters, the U.S. Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq also turned on its air defense system in anticipation of a possible attack.
According to a Reuters, citing Syrian security source, the biggest American military installation in Syria, Iraq’s western neighbor, was likewise on high alert for a potential attack by Iran or militia groups with ties to Iran.
As per Reuters, the tiny, affluent Gulf Arab nation of Qatar had previously said that it had temporarily restricted its airspace to protect citizens and tourists. This came after the American embassy in Qatar advised Americans to remain indoors due to “an excess of caution.”
Although the U.S. was still looking for a diplomatic solution that would see Tehran avoid any retaliation, two U.S. officials said Washington, cited by Reuters, had determined that Iran may launch attacks on American soldiers in the Middle East in the near future
Israel once again showed that it is prepared to attack not just military and nuclear targets but also important elements of Iran’s political structure when it targeted a political jail in Tehran earlier on Monday, Reuters added.
As per Reuters, in erratic trading, oil prices dropped 4% despite Iran’s warnings to challenge Gulf oil exports, indicating traders did not believe the Islamic Republic would follow through on any action that would disrupt global supplies.
In Moscow, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Tehran sought support for its future moves from one of its remaining great power supporters.