Iran attack on US airbases leaves Middle East on edge

Tehran says strikes on Qatar and Iraq'a mighty and successful response'

- Julian Borger Jerusalem Hugo Lowell Washington

Explosions were reported in the Qatari capital late last night as Tehran launched a missile attack on US bases in the Gulf state and Iraq in what it said was retaliation for US participation in Israel's bombing campaign.

The strikes on Doha followed a wave of attacks between Israel and Iran, with Israel bombing the notorious Evin prison, and came after Donald Trump raised the prospect of regime change in Tehran, further provoking a situation inflamed by US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.

The Qatari defence minister was quoted by Al Jazeera television as claiming the country's defences had intercepted the incoming missiles, and that there had been no injuries. Al Jazeera showed footage of debris, reportedly from intercepted missiles lying on an unidentified street, surrounded by local residents.

A US defence official confirmed that Iran had targeted Al Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest US military facility in the Middle East, in "a retaliatory but largely symbolic response" to the weekend US strikes.

The official said Iran had launched medium-range ballistic missiles after communicating the move in advance to Qatari and American officials. No US casualties were reported.

There were also no immediate details last night of missile impacts in Iraq. An Iraqi security official told the Associated Press that the Iranian missiles had targeted Ain al-Asad base where US troops are deployed in western Iraq. Another report suggested that six missiles had been fired at the base.

Iranian state media said that the missile launches were part of a retaliatory operation dubbed "Victory Message". In a statement posted on X while the missiles were in the air, Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said: "We neither initiated the war nor were we seeking it. But we will not leave aggression against the great Iran without answer."