Iran claims attack on Al Udeid Air Base as Qatar intercepts missiles over Doha

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced Friday that it had conducted what it characterized as a major offensive against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, claiming the operation destroyed long-range radar equipment and multiple U.S. strategic refuelling aircraft as part of what it called the 15th phase of Operation Nasr 2. The claims, distributed through Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, remained unverified by independent sources or official U.S. and Qatari statements.

Qatar experienced missile and aerial attacks in the early morning hours of Friday, prompting authorities to issue two public shelter-in-place alerts as residents heard explosions and air defence systems activate across parts of Doha. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that armed forces successfully intercepted an incoming missile and continued responding to additional aerial threats throughout the incident.

One child sustained injuries from shrapnel that fell during the interception operations and received medical treatment, according to the Ministry of Interior. While initial statements from the Ministry of Defence did not specify the attack's origin, the Interior Ministry subsequently confirmed that Iran had launched the missile strike.

The timing of the attacks coincided with Qatar's four-day period of national mourning following the death of Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, during which international delegations had gathered in Doha to pay respects. The incident represented part of a broader pattern of escalating military activity across the Gulf, with Iran also conducting strikes against targets in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait during the same period. Jordan reported intercepting eight Iranian missiles on Thursday and three additional ones on Friday without casualties or infrastructure damage, while Bahrain's air defences engaged Iranian missiles and drones. Kuwait reported damage to a power generation and water desalination facility following an attack. The U.S. Central Command simultaneously conducted its sixth consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military installations, targeting coastal surveillance systems and air defence infrastructure.