--- title: "Iran Launches Ballistic Missile Revenge Strike On Al Udeid Air Base In Qatar (Updated)" description: "Iran has begun attacking U.S. interests in the Middle East in retaliation for Saturday’s Operation Midnight Hammer attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities. You can read more about that operation in our initial report [here]()." date: "2025-06-23" modified: "2025-06-23" authors: - name: "Howard Altman" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman" - name: "Tyler Rogoway" job_title: "Editor-in-Chief" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway" url: "https://www.twz.com/news-features/iran-launches-ballistic-missile-revenge-strike-on-al-udeid-air-base-in-qatar" categories: - "Air" - "Air Forces" - "Armies" - "Around The Globe" - "Iran" - "Iran Nuclear Crisis" - "Israel" - "Land" - "Middle East" - "News & Features" - "Nuclear" - "Nuclear Proliferation" - "Persian Gulf" - "U.S. Air Force" - "U.S. Army" --- # Iran Launches Ballistic Missile Revenge Strike On Al Udeid Air Base In Qatar (Updated) ![US base in qatar attacked by iranian ballistic missiles]() *Via X* Iran has begun attacking U.S. interests in the Middle East in retaliation for Saturday’s Operation Midnight Hammer attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities. You can read more about that operation in our initial report [here](). Iran reportedly launched 10 ballistic missiles at U.S. targets in Qatar, [home to the sprawling Al Udeid]() Air Base, an Israeli official said, Israeli *N12* news outlet reporter Amit Segal posted on X. https://twitter.com/AmitSegal/status/1937191921589370928 Images are emerging on social media of strikes at U.S. bases across the region. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1937189896961286639 There are also reports that sirens were sounding in Bahrain and Kuwait, where the U.S. has military bases. https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1937192078070427681 U.S. forces have reportedly been told to seek shelter in Iraq. https://twitter.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/1937193140303045037 Earlier, Iran moved "missile launchers into place for a potential attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East in response to the surprise American strike on three nuclear sites over the weekend," *Wall Street Journal* reporter Lara Seligman reported on X, citing U.S. officials. https://twitter.com/laraseligman/status/1937185509211505028 In addition, it appears that airspace over Qatar has been closed. Qatar is where Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the region, is located. [As we reported last week](), the Air Force has already moved non-sheltered aircraft out of that base. https://twitter.com/thenewarea51/status/1937186513000784274 Earlier on Monday, the U.S. and U.K. embassies in Qatar issued warnings to citizens. https://twitter.com/PolymarketIntel/status/1937117963888275829 https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1937158152925143246 The U.S. has troops at multiple bases around the region, including airbases in[ Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates]() and[ Qatar](), the[ headquarters of the 5th Fleet in Bahrain](), and bases in[ Iraq, Kuwait and Syria.]() But,[ as we’ve previously noted](), sprawling[ Camp Lemonnier](), located in Djibouti, sits just 80 miles across the Bab al-Mandab Strait from Yemen. The base has been used for U.S. operations in Yemen for years, as well as a key facility for America’s support of the Saudi-led Arab coalition against the Houthis. The U.S. attack gives Iran a “free hand” to respond, that country’s top military leader said on Monday. “Regardless of the extent of the damages incurred, the very nature of this crime (U.S. attack on nuclear sites) will not go unanswered,” Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces threatened on Monday, according to the official Iranian Press TV outlet. This is a developing story. Stay with *TWZ* for updates. ***Update: 1:24 PM Eastern -*** Officials in Qatar said they successfully intercepted the missiles and reserved the right to respond to the Iranian attack. https://twitter.com/mahmouedgamal44/status/1937198966241649091 Qatar called the attack a flagrant violation. https://twitter.com/jhaboush/status/1937196176392311150 ***Update: 1:27 PM Eastern -*** Iran is calling its attack Operation Herald of Victory, according to the [official Iranian *Press TV* news outlet](). "Iranian armed forces have launched a missile barrage at American military bases in Qatar in a retaliatory operation a day after Iranian nuclear sites were targeted by US bombers," *Press TV* announced. ***Update 1:35 PM Eastern -*** Iran reportedly tried to mollify Qatar, saying their actions don't pose a threat to "our friendly and brotherly" neighbor, *Reuters* reporter Phil Stewart reported on X. Iran has shared the best relations with Qatar of all the Gulf States. The two share a huge natural gas field. https://twitter.com/phildstewart/status/1937198208876507455 Video is emerging of Patriot [PAC-3 MSE interceptors ]()being launched. https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1937200811542478892 Another video showed what appeared to be Qatari interceptors falling to the ground after being launched without causing significant explosions. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1937209147398963630 Iran reportedly shared a graphic illustration of its missiles striking an empty Al Udeid. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1937199191651942785 ***Update: 1:45 PM Eastern -*** Analysis and context: If this ballistic missile barrage on Al Udeid is an isolated reprisal operation (we don't know for sure if that is the case just yet), then this was checking a box to save face for the regime. It also signals just how weakened Iran is at this point. We have to wait and see, but this has heavy shades of the [2020 reprisal ballistic missile strikes]() in Iraq, although this barrage was even *less* potent. If this is the case, this is also a grand signal to the Trump administration that they have been provided an off-ramp and to take it. A huge part of this is likely the state of Iran's command and control architecture, which appears to be in tatters. Even if they have the hardware, coordinating a major operation rapidly is likely very challenging, if not impossible, at this point. Also, the delay in the reprisal strike highlights this reality. Note that Israel [focused on going after regime command and control sites today](). So, this could be it, at least for the time being, for direct engagements between the U.S. and Iran. In the past, Trump has taken advantage of such opportunities. https://twitter.com/Aviation\_Intel/status/1937203422882873612 https://twitter.com/Aviation\_Intel/status/1937210414586376549 ***Update: 1:54 PM Eastern -*** A U.S. defense official released a statement on the Al Udeid attack. "I can confirm that Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today. At this time, there are no reports of U.S. casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available.” ***Update: 2:23 PM Eastern -*** Iran gave the U.S. advanced notice of the attack,[ *CNN* reported](). "The coordination was intended to minimize casualties and preserve an off-ramp," the network stated, citing a source. Saudi Arabia announced its solidarity with Qatar, calling the Iranian attack "a flagrant violation of international law" and that "all its capabilities" are "at Qatar's disposal in support of any measures it may take." It should be noted that the two nations severed ties in 2017 and only restored them in 2021. https://twitter.com/KSAmofaEN/status/1937213570753630514 It appears the immediate threat of a kinetic response to the Iranian attack on Al Udeid is subsiding for the moment, at least. Flight tracking software shows that airspace is once again open over the UAE. https://twitter.com/flightradar24/status/1937209847768056066 ***Update: 4:14 PM Eastern –*** Right on cue, as predicted, Trump exits the kinetic component of the war between Israel and Iran: ![]() More on the supposed ceasefire deal can be found on our new post we are live-updating [here](). *Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com* ## Author Howard is a Senior Staff Writer for *TWZ*. He writes frequently about conflict, focusing heavily on the Middle East and Ukraine, and interviews with military and intelligence officials and industry leaders from around the globe. He lives near Tampa, Florida, home of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [LinkedIn]()