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CNN
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
How Qatar defused Iran's attack on the largest US-run base in the region
Top Qatari officials had been meeting with the country's prime minister on Monday afternoon to find ways of de-escalating a conflict between Iran and Israel, when defense ministry personnel called to warn of incoming Iranian missiles. The attack, the first on the Gulf, caught them by surprise, according to Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari, who recalls feeling the prime minister's residence shake with the interceptions that quickly followed overhead. Unease had gripped the Gulf Arab states that morning. The glitzy, oil-rich capitals feared a worst-case scenario: an Iranian missile strike shattering their image of stability after 12 days of war between Israel and Iran, which had culminated in a series of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Bahrain, where the US Naval Command is located, told residents not to use main roads and Kuwait, which hosts several US military bases, activated shelters in ministerial complexes. In nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi, some residents were booking early flights out and others stocking up on supplies. In Doha, nervous residents were on high alert. US and UK citizens in the country had been told to seek shelter and American military personnel had been evacuated from the US-run Al Udeid Base. Qatar's early warning military radar system, one of the most advanced in the region, and intelligence gathered indicated that Iranian missile batteries had moved toward Qatar earlier that day, the spokesperson said – but nothing was certain until shortly before the strikes. 'It could've been misdirected to lead us away from the actual target. There was still a lot of targets in the region…but towards the end it was very clear, their missile systems were hot and we had a very clear idea an hour before the attack, Al Udeid Base was going to be targeted,' a Qatari official with knowledge of defense operations said. Around 7 p.m. local time, Qatari officials were informed by their military that Iran's missiles were airborne and heading towards Al Udeid base, Al-Ansari said. Qatar's armed forces deployed 300 service members and activated multiple Qatari Patriot anti-air missile batteries across two sites to counter the 19 Iranian missiles roaring toward the country, according to Al-Ansari. US President Donald Trump has said that 14 missiles were fired from Iran. Qatari forces coordinated closely with the US, but the operation was 'Qatari led,' Al- Ansari told CNN. Seven missiles were intercepted over the Persian Gulf before reaching Qatari soil, he said. Another 11 were intercepted over Doha without causing damage and one landed in an uninhibited area of the base causing minimal damage. According to Trump, Iran had given the US early notice ahead of the attack. While Doha received intel from Washington, it did not receive any warning directly from the Iranians, according to Al-Ansari – though officials were well aware that the US bases in the region could be targeted. 'The Iranians told us months ago … if there was an attack by the US on Iranian soil that would make bases hosting American forces in the region legitimate targets,' Al-Ansari said. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that warning was reiterated to his Gulf counterparts in an Istanbul meeting a day before Iranian strikes on Qatar. Iran's National Security Council said after the intercepted attack that its strikes had posed 'no dangerous aspect to our friendly and brotherly country of Qatar and its noble people.' Still, Al-Ansari rejects speculation that Qatar – given its working relationship with Tehran – might have given a greenlight for the strikes in order to create an off-ramp for regional escalation. 'We do not take it lightly for our country to be attacked by missiles from any side and we would never do that as part of political posturing or a game in the region,' he said. 'We would not put our people in the line of danger. I would not put my daughter under missiles coming from the sky just to come out with a political outcome. This was a complete surprise to us,' Ansari said. In the moments after the attack, Trump called Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani telling him the Israelis were willing to agree to a ceasefire and asked him to do the same for the Iranians, according to Al-Ansari. 'As we were discussing how to retaliate to this attack … this is when we get a call from the United States that a possible ceasefire, a possible avenue to regional security had opened,' Ansari said. Doha's role as mediator quickly became key in the aftermath of the strikes. Qatar's chief negotiator Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi spoke to the Iranians while the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was speaking to US Vice President JD Vance. Soon, 'we were able to secure a deal,' Al-Ansaris says – and in the nick of time. 'All options were on the table that night … we could have immediately retaliated or pulled back and say we're not talking to a country that sent 19 missiles our way. But we also realized that was a moment that could create momentum for peace in a region that hasn't been there for two years now,' Ansari said. Shortly after, Trump declared on social media that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had been brokered.
CNN
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
How Qatar defused Iran's attack on the largest US-run base in the region
Top Qatari officials had been meeting with the country's prime minister on Monday afternoon to find ways of de-escalating a conflict between Iran and Israel, when defense ministry personnel called to warn of incoming Iranian missiles. The attack, the first on the Gulf, caught them by surprise, according to Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari, who recalls feeling the prime minister's residence shake with the interceptions that quickly followed overhead. Unease had gripped the Gulf Arab states that morning. The glitzy, oil-rich capitals feared a worst-case scenario: an Iranian missile strike shattering their image of stability after 12 days of war between Israel and Iran, which had culminated in a series of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Bahrain, where the US Naval Command is located, told residents not to use main roads and Kuwait, which hosts several US military bases, activated shelters in ministerial complexes. In nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi, some residents were booking early flights out and others stocking up on supplies. In Doha, nervous residents were on high alert. US and UK citizens in the country had been told to seek shelter and American military personnel had been evacuated from the US-run Al Udeid Base. Qatar's early warning military radar system, one of the most advanced in the region, and intelligence gathered indicated that Iranian missile batteries had moved toward Qatar earlier that day, the spokesperson said – but nothing was certain until shortly before the strikes. 'It could've been misdirected to lead us away from the actual target. There was still a lot of targets in the region…but towards the end it was very clear, their missile systems were hot and we had a very clear idea an hour before the attack, Al Udeid Base was going to be targeted,' a Qatari official with knowledge of defense operations said. Around 7 p.m. local time, Qatari officials were informed by their military that Iran's missiles were airborne and heading towards Al Udeid base, Al-Ansari said. Qatar's armed forces deployed 300 service members and activated multiple Qatari Patriot anti-air missile batteries across two sites to counter the 19 Iranian missiles roaring toward the country, according to Al-Ansari. US President Donald Trump has said that 14 missiles were fired from Iran. Qatari forces coordinated closely with the US, but the operation was 'Qatari led,' Al- Ansari told CNN. Seven missiles were intercepted over the Persian Gulf before reaching Qatari soil, he said. Another 11 were intercepted over Doha without causing damage and one landed in an uninhibited area of the base causing minimal damage. According to Trump, Iran had given the US early notice ahead of the attack. While Doha received intel from Washington, it did not receive any warning directly from the Iranians, according to Al-Ansari – though officials were well aware that the US bases in the region could be targeted. 'The Iranians told us months ago … if there was an attack by the US on Iranian soil that would make bases hosting American forces in the region legitimate targets,' Al-Ansari said. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that warning was reiterated to his Gulf counterparts in an Istanbul meeting a day before Iranian strikes on Qatar. Iran's National Security Council said after the intercepted attack that its strikes had posed 'no dangerous aspect to our friendly and brotherly country of Qatar and its noble people.' Still, Al-Ansari rejects speculation that Qatar – given its working relationship with Tehran – might have given a greenlight for the strikes in order to create an off-ramp for regional escalation. 'We do not take it lightly for our country to be attacked by missiles from any side and we would never do that as part of political posturing or a game in the region,' he said. 'We would not put our people in the line of danger. I would not put my daughter under missiles coming from the sky just to come out with a political outcome. This was a complete surprise to us,' Ansari said. In the moments after the attack, Trump called Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani telling him the Israelis were willing to agree to a ceasefire and asked him to do the same for the Iranians, according to Al-Ansari. 'As we were discussing how to retaliate to this attack … this is when we get a call from the United States that a possible ceasefire, a possible avenue to regional security had opened,' Ansari said. Doha's role as mediator quickly became key in the aftermath of the strikes. Qatar's chief negotiator Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi spoke to the Iranians while the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was speaking to US Vice President JD Vance. Soon, 'we were able to secure a deal,' Al-Ansaris says – and in the nick of time. 'All options were on the table that night … we could have immediately retaliated or pulled back and say we're not talking to a country that sent 19 missiles our way. But we also realized that was a moment that could create momentum for peace in a region that hasn't been there for two years now,' Ansari said. Shortly after, Trump declared on social media that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had been brokered.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Qatar urges residents to report suspected missile debris after Iran's attack
Qatar's Ministries of Defence and Ministry of Interior have jointly issued a public safety advisory, urging citizens and residents to immediately report any suspicious fragments or strange objects that may be linked to the interception of Iranian missiles. Iran launched a missile attack on Al Udeid US base in Qatar on Monday, in retaliation for US attacks on several nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic as part of the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. US President Donald Trump stated that Iran launched 14 missiles against the air base, of which 13 were intercepted and one was allowed to fall harmlessly, calling it 'a very weak response'. After the attack, Qatar summoned the Iranian ambassador and condemned the attack. Qatar called on its residents and citizens not to touch or approach any strange objects they may encounter and to immediately report them to the authorities "so that they may be dealt with in accordance with approved procedures", the joint statement clarified. Authorities stressed that "handling such materials must be done exclusively by the competent authorities, due to the possibility that they may contain hazardous substances that could pose a threat to public safety," it added. waiver of all traffic violations issued on the day of the attack for motorists.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Qatar waives traffic fines issued to residents on day of Al Udeid attack
On Monday, June 23, Qatar residents were facing unprecedented circumstances, as they saw Iranian missiles lighting up the night's sky on their way to hit Al Udeid US base that the Gulf country hosts. Explosions were heard over Qatar's capital Doha after Iran has issued threats to retaliate against the United States after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on the country's underground nuclear installations, while President Donald Trump openly raised the possibility of the Iranian government being toppled. After the attack, Qatar summoned the Iranian ambassador and condemned the attack. During these exceptional conditions, many Qatar residents hurried to reach their homes to make sure their loved ones are fine or rushed to their workplaces to pursue their duties—and their responsible attitude amidst the events was appreciated by the authorities. The Qatari Ministry of Interior announced the waiver of all traffic violations issued on that day for motorists. "This decision comes as a gesture of appreciation for the swift and responsible response demonstrated by citizens and residents in promptly reaching their workplaces and service centres, under pressing circumstances that required urgent movement by a broad segment of the public to fulfil their national and professional duties," it stated. Authorities, however, urged motorists to adhere to traffic laws, stressing that this waiver is a one-time, exceptional measure that applies exclusively to violations committed on the day of the Iranian attack on the US base.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Iran and the craft of politics
For decades, Iran's patience has not been merely a political tactic, it has been a way of life in how the country navigates crises, negotiations and power projection. But the recent war with Israel, which lasted for 12 days of unprecedented military escalation — including a US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities and Tehran's retaliatory attack on the American Al-Udeid base in Qatar, followed by President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire — tested this model in an unprecedented manner. The question now is: Is this model still valid or is it time for a fundamental shift in Tehran's political doctrine? Since the revolution in 1979, Iran has been known for a foreign policy approach that combines ideological pragmatism with long-term patience in managing complex challenges, especially under sanctions and international isolation. Many analysts have labeled this approach as 'strategic patience,' a term that describes not just the regime's behavior but also reflects deeper traits of the Iranian national character, rooted in its cultural and historical legacy. The metaphor of Persian carpet weaving is often invoked to describe this mindset: a slow, meticulous process that unfolds not under pressure but in accordance with an internal rhythm of precision and long-range vision. Just as crafting a Persian carpet can take years of detailed work, so too does Iran build its foreign policy, step by step, thread by thread, through cumulative, deliberate moves rather than sudden leaps. But the recent Iranian-Israeli war has changed many equations. For the first time, the confrontation moved beyond proxy battles to a direct exchange, with strikes hitting targets inside both Iran and Israel. The turning point came when Trump ordered a precise strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, reasserting America's role as a military actor, not just a distant negotiator. Iran's response was swift yet calculated: targeting the Al-Udeid base in Qatar, home to US forces, in what it described as a 'measured warning' rather than a declaration of war. This rapid and volatile escalation brings Iran's strategic patience face to face with a new geopolitical era Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy This rapid and volatile escalation brings Iran's strategic patience face to face with a new geopolitical era — an era of precision missiles, drone warfare, real-time diplomacy and a shifting regional map that does not wait for anyone to finish weaving their political carpet. And yet, Iran's response did not appear impulsive. While the Al-Udeid strike was bold and direct, it came 72 hours after the US attack, following internal deliberations and calibrated messaging. Tehran signaled clearly that it was retaliating but not escalating. It remains within its familiar logic: punish without provoking all-out war, respond without crossing the point of no return. This dynamic echoes an old anecdote from the Iran-Iraq War. In 1980, an Arab politician reportedly warned his Iraqi counterpart during the early days of the war: 'Don't celebrate your initial victories too soon. A war with Iran is never short. This is a people who spend 10 years weaving one carpet, they will endure even longer in war.' It seems that Iran has not abandoned that long breath, even in the age of fast-moving conflict. The real transformation, however, lies not in Iran's military behavior but in how patience is being redefined within its strategic doctrine. Previously, patience served as a tool for negotiation and building leverage. Today, it has increasingly become a way of absorbing global chaos and delivering timed responses — carefully selected and publicly claimed, but tightly controlled. Looking back at Iran's behavior over recent years, one sees the same disciplined pattern: calculated delays in the nuclear talks, indirect power-building through regional proxies, and strategic ambiguity when it comes to responsibility for attacks. But the latest war laid these methods bare, putting them under a global spotlight at a moment when options are narrowing, margins are shrinking and pressure is mounting. So, the key question is no longer whether Iran has strategic patience but whether today's world still allows it to be an effective tool. Waiting is no longer a virtue in itself, but a component in a more agile, more assertive strategy Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy It could be argued that Iran is not abandoning patience but rather redefining it. Patience no longer means abstaining from action, it means responding with precision, without falling into the trap of prolonged attrition. Waiting is no longer a virtue in itself, but a component in a more agile, more assertive strategy. Today, with Trump announcing a ceasefire, Iran emerges as a player that lost nothing essential: it responded militarily, maintained its deterrent image and benefited from a Qatari-mediated de-escalation that likely came with new diplomatic channels or concessions. In this, we see a new face of Iran's patience: assertive patience. Patience that enables a response, not only restraint. Patience that preserves control while wielding credible threats. But this approach is not without its limits. Domestic pressure is growing, the regional landscape is fluid and technological escalation leaves little room for slow maneuvers. That is why the question is no longer: Does Iran possess strategic patience? Rather, it is: Is the regional and global tempo still compatible with this model of slow, deliberate endurance? Perhaps the answer lies in adapting rather than abandoning. Iran may not be able to wait 10 years for every policy outcome, as the old carpet metaphor suggests. The craft remains, but the pace must evolve. Like the modern Persian carpet, sometimes produced in six months with new tools and techniques, Iranian strategy may need to integrate faster, more responsive tactics without losing its long-range character. Between the roar of missiles and the whisper of weaving needles, Iran remains a state that excels at survival. But the greater test now is not how long it can wait, but whether it can change while waiting.
