Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty: MoFA spokesperson

Qatar Tribune

7 days ago

DOHA: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)DrMajed bin Mohammed Al Ansari reiterated the State of Qatar's condemnation in the strongest terms of the Iranian missile attack on Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base, stating that this attack represents a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, a contravention of the principles of good neighborliness, and an assault on international legitimacy and international law.
During a press conference, Al Ansari said the State of Qatar affirms that it reserves the right to respond in accordance with international law and in a manner commensurate with the nature and scale of this attack. He reassured citizens, residents, and the entire world that, thanks to Allah Almighty, and under the direct leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Qatari Armed Forces, this attack was repelled and thwarted, and that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted the missile barrages, resulting in no significant losses.
He added that continued escalation in the region will only undermine security and stability, not only in this region, but worldwide. All parties, and all countries in the region, have no choice but to return to peaceful means by returning to the negotiating table and seeking peace to achieve it for all peoples.
He noted that the State of Qatar has repeatedly warned against the consequences of Israeli escalation in the region and its irresponsible behavior, the effects of which are seen today across the entire region.
He explained that since the escalation of threats against bases hosting US forces in the region, the State of Qatar has taken all precautionary measures, which resulted in the failure of the Iranian attack and the protection of Qatar and its people from its consequences.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered the attack surprising in light of the positions of the State of Qatar, its commitment to good neighborliness, and its pursue of mediation to resolve crises. The State of Qatar has always been, and will always be, a believer in the option of peace and its achievement, striving to be a beacon of this peace globally. No wrongdoings by any party, in the context of any escalation in the region, will deter or dissuade it from being a driving force for peace in the region and the world at large, he added.
He expressed the State of Qatar's gratitude and appreciation for the positions of all brotherly and friendly countries that have stood in solidarity with the State of Qatar in the context of this attack, noting that this stance is undoubtedly honorable in light of what the State of Qatar has been subjected to.
He stressed that the situation in the country is proceeding normally, and that life is returning to normalcy without any significant threat after this attack was repelled. He noted that, as part of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education's commitment to the interests of students, exams will be postponed for one day only and will be resumed in accordance with their normal schedule on Wednesday.
Al Ansari said the State of Qatar is at the highest level of safety. The valiant response to this attack is clear evidence that the precautionary measures taken since the first day of this crisis have protected the State of Qatar from any external aggression or any circumstances that could destabilize security and stability.
He pointed out that Qatar's role in promoting regional and international peace will not be deterred by any wrongdoing by any party, explaining that this issue is linked to Qatari doctrine in dealing with regional and global issues.
He noted that Qatar has played significant roles in recent months, whether in mediation between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel, or even in the recent mediation between Iran and the United States, or between Iran and Israel. He added that in various countries around the world, positive Qatari efforts are being made to mediate and resolve disputes through peaceful means.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this attack, or any other misguided escalation, clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of Qatar's position toward resolving conflicts through peaceful means. In this regard, he said that escalation in the region by all parties will only result in one thing: greater danger to the collective regional security, and what happened today proves that.
He added that the State of Qatar, under its wise leadership, fully believes that peace is the option, and that Qatar is a locomotive toward achieving peace. He explained that the issue of responding to the Iranian attack is a sovereign matter and is currently being discussed at the highest levels.
He pointed out that communication is ongoing at the political level with all brotherly and friendly countries, not only regarding the repercussions in the region, but also in general, emphasizing the importance of communicating with the US side in the context of the presence of US forces at Al Udeid Air Base. In this context, he said that coordination is ongoing with the US Embassy in Doha, as well as directly with the US side.
Al Ansari explained that, given Qatar's mediation efforts, there is direct, almost daily communication at the highest levels in the country with officials in the United States to ensure positive momentum for joint roles between the two sides, especially regarding mediation.
He said the region is now heading towards further escalation, and what the State of Qatar has been working on, continues to work on, and will continue to work on is ensuring an end to this escalation. Since the first day of this crisis, Qatar has warned that this escalation would drag into a very dangerous regional turning point for all, and what happened today confirms this point.
He emphasized that the escalation witnessed in the region began with irresponsible practices by Israel in the region, whether in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, or Iran, in addition to its crimes committed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, stating: If we want to put an end to the escalation in the region, the first step is to put an end to these irresponsible actions.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions, stressing that all crises in the region and the world can only be resolved at the negotiating table, and that the State of Qatar pursues this wherever it goes, while expressing Qatar's gratitude to all brotherly and friendly countries cooperating with it in these efforts.
Regarding Gulf-Iranian relations, he said that Qatar has always believed, and continue to believe, in the necessity of working on the principle of good neighborliness, which has characterized its relationship with the Iranian side. Therefore, Qatar is truly surprised by what happened today. Qatar sees this attack as a surprise, given that it has worked on this principle since day one and was one of the most important countries that undertook mediation efforts between Iran and various international parties. Qatar has always called for resolving disputes with Iran through peaceful means. He added there are deep ties between the two countries and peoples, but there is no doubt that this attack requires a sincere meeting and a clear position. while the issue of dealing with this attack and its aftermath remains up to decision-makers, who are studying this issue at the national level.
He continued by saying that the Qatari role is not linked to a specific event, a pragmatic stance, and does not seek to achieve interests for Qatar. Rather, the Qatari position stems from a belief in a doctrine revealed by Allah Almighty that we should incline toward peace and always be doves of peace in this world, by leading peace efforts not only for ourselves and our interests, but for all peace-loving peoples around the world.
Al Ansari pointed out that many events have occurred in recent months in which Qatar was targeted in the media and politically, noting that none of this has deterred Qatar or discouraged it from fulfilling its historic role.
For his part, Deputy Chief of Staff for Joint Operations Major General Shayeq Misfer Al Hajri stated that following the recent escalation between Israel and Iran, the Ministry of Defense raised its readiness and preparedness to deal with the repercussions of this crisis, adding that after the United States participated in bombing the nuclear reactors in Iran, with Iran threatening military bases in the region that host American forces, the Qatar Armed Forces activated all plans to secure Qatar's airspace and territorial and economic waters.
During the press conference, he added that air defense batteries have been deployed to protect the country's entire airspace in all directions, with aerial surveillance and protection umbrellas activated and warships deployed in Qatar's territorial and economic waters.
He said that confirmed intelligence were received this evening indicating that bases hosting American forces in the region, including Al Udeid Air Base, were going to be targeted. Accordingly, the first line of action was to evacuate foreign forces from the base, followed by the evacuation of non-essential personnel in order to protect them from the potential impact of the attack. He continued saying that once the intent was confirmed, a request was sent to the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority to shut down the airspace to safeguard Qatar's inbound and outbound flights.
He added that exactly at 7.30pm, the surveillance and control system reported the launch of seven missiles from northwestern Iran targeting Al Udeid Air Base, with air defense batteries engaging the missiles as soon as they entered Qatari airspace, and were all intercepted and destroyed over the sea before reaching Qatari territory.
MG Al Hajri said that shortly afterward, Al Udeid Air Base was targeted again with 12 missiles, 11 of which were intercepted and fell on Qatari soil, while one missile landed inside the base, causing no casualties.
He reassured the public by saying that the Qatar Armed Forces assure all citizens and residents that the forces are at the highest level of readiness to ensure the safety and stability of everyone in the country.
MG Al Hajri noted that the Ministry of Defense had been managing the crisis from the outset in coordination with relevant authorities in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to exchange information and share alerts on any emergencies arising from regional developments.
He congratulated the Qatar Armed Forces and the joint command tasked with this duty for their success, affirming that the Qatar Armed Forces remain ready to continue safeguarding the state's air, sea, and land sovereignty, which should put all citizen and resident at ease.
MG Al Hajri said that Qatar's military capabilities, which were tested today, have reached this level by the grace of God and the support of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, noting that the capabilities used were proportionate to the escalation, adding, however, that the Armed Forces are capable of much more than what was demonstrated.
He praised the level of coordination and cooperation in joint operations among all security agencies, expressing pride in the high level of professionalism in place.
In turn, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior Colonel Dr Jabr Hamoud Jabr Al Naimi affirmed that the security situation in the State of Qatar is completely stable, and that all relevant agencies are working in full harmony to ensure the safety and security of citizens, residents, and visitors.
During the press conference, Colonel Al Naimi said that the Ministry of Interior had taken all preventive and precautionary measures according to pre-prepared emergency plans. He stressed that operations are ongoing in continuous coordination with security and defense agencies to ensure that daily life continues normally.
He emphasized the need to avoid spreading rumors or sharing inaccurate information, urging everyone to act responsibly by refraining from sharing or reposting any unofficial information, and to rely only on official, approved channels for updates.
The Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior said that the ministry, in cooperation with relevant entities, remains fully prepared and on alert to monitor developments and take necessary action to maintain public safety and security. He noted that state authorities are closely monitoring events in real-time within a well-planned security system focused on readiness and rapid response.
Colonel Al Naimi said that several reports were received of falling debris in residential areas, with these incidents promptly handled in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), adding that some small fires were caused by the debris and were quickly brought under control, with no injuries reported, while all incidents were addressed with high professionalism and speed.
He said that in all transparency, the situation is reassuring, with it being nothing more than a temporary circumstance that will end within a few hours, adding that all risks have been addressed swiftly, efficiently, and professionally through immediate response and precise coordination among the concerned agencies.
Colonel Al Naimi highlighted that the relevant authorities are monitoring the situation moment by moment and operating within an integrated security system that ensures the safety and security of everyone living in the State of Qatar.