Qatar Confirms Iran Tried To Strike US Air Base, Calls It A Violation Of Sovereignty

Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Majed Al Ansari, confirmed that Iran tried to attack the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base on Monday. According to him, Qatar’s air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles. 

“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack that targeted Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. We consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law, and the United Nations Charter,” Al Ansari said in a post on X.

He added that Qatar is requesting the immediate cessation of all military actions and a “serious return” to the negotiating table. Bahrain and the U.A.E. announced that they have closed their respective airspaces after the attacks.

Broader markets pared away earlier gains following the news. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) was trading flat, while the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) slipped 0.13%. Only the Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ), which tracks the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100, remained in the green, up 0.1%. 

The minister’s comments came after blasts were reported in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Earlier on Monday, Qatar announced that it was temporarily closing its airspace, citing a need to protect its citizens. At the time, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the move is a part of a series of precautionary steps being taken in response to the evolving security situation in the Middle East. 

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported that Iran was moving missile launchers into place to potentially attack the U.S. in response to the surprise attack on three of its nuclear facilities over the weekend. It said that the Pentagon was tracking a “credible” threat to the U.S. military bases in the region.

The attacks from Iran come after the country said that the U.S. attack over the weekend had broadened the scope of targets for its retaliation. Iran’s defence minister, Amir Hatami, said the U.S. would soon receive a “decisive response,” stating that “this time would be no different.”

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued what appeared to be his first public statement since the U.S. attack on Iran, in a post on X on Monday as well. "The Zionist enemy has made a grave mistake, committed a great crime," the post said, referring to Israel. "It must be punished, and it is being punished; it is being punished right now."

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