Latest news with #Doha-based
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Iran launches missiles at US bases in retaliatory strike
Iran fired missiles at a U.S. air base in Qatar after promising it would respond "proportionately and decisively" to President Donald Trump's weekend airstrikes on three of its nuclear facilities. Qatar said the barrage at Al Udeid base - the biggest such U.S. facility in the Middle East - was intercepted and that there were no casualties. Al Udeid is the regional headquarters for U.S. Central Command, which oversees the American military in the region, and is home to several thousand U.S. service members, though many staff had been evacuated. Oil prices fell immediately after the attack, with Brent dropping 3.3% to $74.48 a barrel as of 6:10 p.m. The attack included at least six missiles fired toward U.S. military bases in Qatar, according to a person familiar with the matter. The UAE and Bahrain closed their airspace as a precaution. Iran's missile strike on Qatar was telegraphed and had been expected by the United States and its allies, according to another person familiar with western intelligence assessments who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. United Kingdom and U.S. diplomatic missions advised Doha-based residents earlier in the day to shelter in place "until further notice." Iranian officials also suggested the move had a symbolic element. The number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs deployed by the U.S., and the Qatar strike "poses no danger" to a "friendly and brotherly country," the state-run IRNA news agency said. A Qatari government spokesman said on X that the base had been evacuated earlier. The move comes after the U.S. struck three major nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday night. Tehran vowed to retaliate for what it called a "grave mistake" by Trump in joining Israel's attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, said in a video posted on social media by Iran's state broadcaster on Monday. Trump had previously vowed to meet any retaliation with force "far greater" than the U.S. strikes on the nuclear sites. He also floated the possibility of regime change in Iran, although U.S. and Israeli officials Sunday stressed that isn't their aim. Israel had earlier ratcheted up attacks on various Iranian targets in the more than weeklong conflict, with the Israel Defense Forces warning residents of Tehran to expect further strikes in the coming days. The Islamic Republic fired several missiles of its own at Israel, suggesting no immediate plans to pare back the hostilities. Trump's decision to deploy bunker-busting bombs and cruise missiles on the country's three main nuclear sites pushed the Middle East into uncharted territory and boosted risks in a global economy already facing severe uncertainty over his trade wars. The U.S. operation - which targeted nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan - marked Washington's direct entry to the war that began on June 13 when Israel unleashed attacks on Iran's nuclear and military facilities, and killed senior commanders and atomic scientists. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had a "limited" objective, focused on destroying Iran's atomic program. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Business Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Times
Iran launches missiles at US bases in Qatar in retaliatory strike
IRAN fired missiles at a US air base in Qatar after promising it would respond 'proportionately and decisively' to President Donald Trump's weekend airstrikes on three of its nuclear facilities. Qatar said the barrage at Al Udeid base — the biggest such US facility in the Middle East — was intercepted and that there were no casualties. Al Udeid is the regional headquarters for US Central Command, which oversees the American military in the region, and is home to several thousand US service-members, though many staff had been evacuated. Oil prices fell immediately after the attack, with Brent dropping 3.3 per cent to US$74.48 a barrel as of 6.10 pm. The attack included at least six missiles fired toward US military bases in Qatar, according to a person familiar with the matter. The UAE and Bahrain closed their airspace as a precaution. Iran's missile strike on Qatar was telegraphed and had been expected by the US and its allies, according to another person familiar with western intelligence assessments who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. UK and US diplomatic missions advised Doha-based residents earlier in the day to shelter in place 'until further notice.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Iranian officials also suggested the move had a symbolic element. The number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs deployed by the US, and the Qatar strike 'poses no danger' to a 'friendly and brotherly country,' the state-run IRNA news agency said. A Qatari government spokesman said on X that the base had been evacuated earlier. The move comes after the US struck three major nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday night. Tehran vowed to retaliate for what it called a 'grave mistake' by Trump in joining Israel's attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, said in a video posted on social media by Iran's state broadcaster on Monday. Trump had previously vowed to meet any retaliation with force 'far greater' than the US strikes on the nuclear sites. He also floated the possibility of regime change in Iran, although US and Israeli officials Sunday stressed that isn't their aim. Israel had earlier ratcheted up attacks on various Iranian targets in the more than weeklong conflict, with the Israel Defense Forces warning residents of Tehran to expect further strikes in the coming days. The Islamic Republic fired several missiles of its own at Israel, suggesting no immediate plans to pare back the hostilities. Trump's decision to deploy bunker-busting bombs and cruise missiles on the country's three main nuclear sites on Sunday pushed the Middle East into uncharted territory and boosted risks in a global economy already facing severe uncertainty over his trade wars. The US operation — which targeted nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — marked Washington's direct entry to the war that began on June 13 when Israel unleashed attacks on Iran's nuclear and military facilities, and killed senior commanders and atomic scientists. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had a 'limited' objective, focused on destroying Iran's atomic programme. BLOOMBERG
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Qatar shuts down airspace amid Israel-Iran crisis
Qatar says it has shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry says. The notice posted on the X platform said the move is to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The shutdown of Qatari airspace comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. The US embassy in Qatar emailed US citizens in the country on Monday recommending that they shelter in place until further notice, triggering a slew of messages from various Doha-based institutions to employees and students. The United Kingdom government later issued a warning recommending the same for UK citizens in Qatar. The US and UK messages noted that the recommendation was "out of an abundance of caution" and offered no further information. Two US officials separately told Reuters that Iran could carry out attacks targeting US forces in the Middle East soon, with one source saying it could happen in the next day or two. Commenting on the message, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said in a statement that the security situation in the country remained stable, adding that the embassy's advisory did not suggest any specific threat. Al-Ansari said Qatar was ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. There was confusion among residents in Qatar over how to react to the mixed messages coming from the Qatari and embassy authorities on Monday afternoon. The Qatar campuses of US universities offered differing advice to their staff and students, with Texas A&M University saying an evacuation of their building had been ordered, Northwestern University requesting that people go home and Georgetown University telling people they could go home if they wished. Israel struck the most notorious jail for political prisoners in Tehran on Monday in a potent demonstration that it was expanding its targets beyond military and nuclear sites. Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, issued an apparent threat to retaliate after US President Donald Trump approved attacks on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. "Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said on Monday in an English-language video statement. Iranian authorities have repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States but it had yet to do so in a meaningful way more than 24 hours after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iran's underground nuclear sites. Trump's administration maintains that its aim is solely to destroy Iran's nuclear program, not to open a wider war. The US administration says it is still seeking a diplomatic resolution that would have Iran forgo any reprisal. with AP and PA Qatar says it has shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry says. The notice posted on the X platform said the move is to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The shutdown of Qatari airspace comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. The US embassy in Qatar emailed US citizens in the country on Monday recommending that they shelter in place until further notice, triggering a slew of messages from various Doha-based institutions to employees and students. The United Kingdom government later issued a warning recommending the same for UK citizens in Qatar. The US and UK messages noted that the recommendation was "out of an abundance of caution" and offered no further information. Two US officials separately told Reuters that Iran could carry out attacks targeting US forces in the Middle East soon, with one source saying it could happen in the next day or two. Commenting on the message, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said in a statement that the security situation in the country remained stable, adding that the embassy's advisory did not suggest any specific threat. Al-Ansari said Qatar was ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. There was confusion among residents in Qatar over how to react to the mixed messages coming from the Qatari and embassy authorities on Monday afternoon. The Qatar campuses of US universities offered differing advice to their staff and students, with Texas A&M University saying an evacuation of their building had been ordered, Northwestern University requesting that people go home and Georgetown University telling people they could go home if they wished. Israel struck the most notorious jail for political prisoners in Tehran on Monday in a potent demonstration that it was expanding its targets beyond military and nuclear sites. Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, issued an apparent threat to retaliate after US President Donald Trump approved attacks on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. "Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said on Monday in an English-language video statement. Iranian authorities have repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States but it had yet to do so in a meaningful way more than 24 hours after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iran's underground nuclear sites. Trump's administration maintains that its aim is solely to destroy Iran's nuclear program, not to open a wider war. The US administration says it is still seeking a diplomatic resolution that would have Iran forgo any reprisal. with AP and PA Qatar says it has shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry says. The notice posted on the X platform said the move is to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The shutdown of Qatari airspace comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. The US embassy in Qatar emailed US citizens in the country on Monday recommending that they shelter in place until further notice, triggering a slew of messages from various Doha-based institutions to employees and students. The United Kingdom government later issued a warning recommending the same for UK citizens in Qatar. The US and UK messages noted that the recommendation was "out of an abundance of caution" and offered no further information. Two US officials separately told Reuters that Iran could carry out attacks targeting US forces in the Middle East soon, with one source saying it could happen in the next day or two. Commenting on the message, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said in a statement that the security situation in the country remained stable, adding that the embassy's advisory did not suggest any specific threat. Al-Ansari said Qatar was ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. There was confusion among residents in Qatar over how to react to the mixed messages coming from the Qatari and embassy authorities on Monday afternoon. The Qatar campuses of US universities offered differing advice to their staff and students, with Texas A&M University saying an evacuation of their building had been ordered, Northwestern University requesting that people go home and Georgetown University telling people they could go home if they wished. Israel struck the most notorious jail for political prisoners in Tehran on Monday in a potent demonstration that it was expanding its targets beyond military and nuclear sites. Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, issued an apparent threat to retaliate after US President Donald Trump approved attacks on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. "Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said on Monday in an English-language video statement. Iranian authorities have repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States but it had yet to do so in a meaningful way more than 24 hours after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iran's underground nuclear sites. Trump's administration maintains that its aim is solely to destroy Iran's nuclear program, not to open a wider war. The US administration says it is still seeking a diplomatic resolution that would have Iran forgo any reprisal. with AP and PA Qatar says it has shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry says. The notice posted on the X platform said the move is to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The shutdown of Qatari airspace comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. The US embassy in Qatar emailed US citizens in the country on Monday recommending that they shelter in place until further notice, triggering a slew of messages from various Doha-based institutions to employees and students. The United Kingdom government later issued a warning recommending the same for UK citizens in Qatar. The US and UK messages noted that the recommendation was "out of an abundance of caution" and offered no further information. Two US officials separately told Reuters that Iran could carry out attacks targeting US forces in the Middle East soon, with one source saying it could happen in the next day or two. Commenting on the message, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said in a statement that the security situation in the country remained stable, adding that the embassy's advisory did not suggest any specific threat. Al-Ansari said Qatar was ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. There was confusion among residents in Qatar over how to react to the mixed messages coming from the Qatari and embassy authorities on Monday afternoon. The Qatar campuses of US universities offered differing advice to their staff and students, with Texas A&M University saying an evacuation of their building had been ordered, Northwestern University requesting that people go home and Georgetown University telling people they could go home if they wished. Israel struck the most notorious jail for political prisoners in Tehran on Monday in a potent demonstration that it was expanding its targets beyond military and nuclear sites. Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, issued an apparent threat to retaliate after US President Donald Trump approved attacks on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. "Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said on Monday in an English-language video statement. Iranian authorities have repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States but it had yet to do so in a meaningful way more than 24 hours after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iran's underground nuclear sites. Trump's administration maintains that its aim is solely to destroy Iran's nuclear program, not to open a wider war. The US administration says it is still seeking a diplomatic resolution that would have Iran forgo any reprisal. with AP and PA
Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
US Embassy in Qatar issues shelter alert
Shafaq News/ The US Embassy in Qatar advised American citizens on Monday to shelter in place, describing the move as taken 'out of an abundance of caution,' as Qatari authorities affirmed that the country remains secure. The advisory did not specify any particular threat but came amid heightened concerns following Iran's renewed warnings of retaliation against the United States over recent strikes on its nuclear facilities. The embassy's message prompted several Doha-based institutions to issue internal alerts to staff and students. However, Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari emphasized in a statement that the situation remains stable, and the embassy's recommendation was not linked to any specific danger. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East and the forward headquarters of US Central Command, accommodating approximately 10,000 American troops. Iran had warned the US that any involvement in the Israeli war would trigger retaliation against its interests in the Middle East. The alert came hours after the US Embassy in Bahrain announced a temporary reduction in on-site staff, citing rising instability in the region.
The Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Qatar closes airspace, US and UK tell citizens to shelter in place
FILE PHOTO: Police officers stand guard in front of the U.S. embassy in Doha September 14, 2012. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/ File Photo DOHA (Reuters) -Qatar said on Monday it had shut down its airspace temporarily, hours after U.S. and British authorities contacted their citizens there recommending that they shelter in place until further notice. The U.S. and British announcements, which triggered a slew of messages from many Doha-based institutions to employees and students, came as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the U.S. after strikes on its nuclear sites. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. Two U.S. officials separately told Reuters that Iran could carry out attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East soon, with one source saying it could happen in the next day or two. The messages from Britain and the U.S. embassy in Qatar said their recommendations were made "out of an abundance of caution" and offered no further information. Qatar's foreign minister said on X that its airspace would be closed as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, without going into further detail. Earlier, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari had released a statement saying the security situation there remained stable. Many Qatar residents were confused by what they said appeared to be mixed messaging from Qatari and U.S. embassy officials. The Qatar campuses of American universities in Qatar sent messages to staff and students after the embassy announcement. Texas A&M University said an evacuation of its building had been ordered, Northwestern University asked people to go home and Georgetown University said people could go home if they wished. The American School, which is not in session, closed its campus and cancelled summer camps until further notice. (Reporting by Andrew Mills and Tala Ramadan; writing by Maha El Dahan; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Aidan Lewis and Andrew Heavens)
