Iran announced on Monday night that it attacked American forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The news was shown on Iranian state TV with military music playing. A message on the screen said it was a strong response to US attacks.
Before this, Qatar closed its airspace because of threats from Iran. People in Qatar reported hearing explosions and saw what looked like missiles in the sky.
Iran’s president said on social media that they didn’t start the war but had to respond to protect Iran. There was no immediate comment from Qatar about the reported attack.
The conflict started when the US bombed three of Iran’s nuclear sites on Sunday. Israel also joined in and attacked government targets in Tehran, including a prison known for holding political activists.
Iran and the US have had long tensions. The US base in Qatar has often been threatened by Iran in the past. Iran and Qatar are neighbors and share a big natural gas field.
Earlier Monday, smoke was seen in Tehran, and Iran launched more missiles and drones at Israel. Israel replied by bombing more sites in Tehran and warned more strikes were coming.
US President Donald Trump questioned on social media if there should be a new government in Iran. This upset Iranian leaders, who warned they would strike back against US forces or interests in the region.
Israel’s attacks included hitting a prison and military buildings. Iran’s TV showed videos of the prison after the strike and said prisoners were under control. Human rights groups said families were worried about their loved ones inside.
A top Iranian general warned the US that Iran could now attack US troops freely. The region is tense, with many American soldiers in the Middle East, close enough for Iran’s missiles to reach.
The US had bombed Iran’s Fordo nuclear site on Sunday. Israel later attacked roads around it to block access. The UN nuclear watchdog expects heavy damage at the site. Iran claimed it had moved nuclear material before the attacks.
On Monday, Iran fired more missiles at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa. Israel said there were no injuries from those attacks. In the current conflict, over 950 people in Iran have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli strikes. In Israel, at least 24 people have died and many more are injured.
The US says the strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites were meant to stop its nuclear program. But Iran and its allies, like Russia, say the attacks were unprovoked. Russia’s President Putin met with Iran’s foreign minister and said they were trying to find a way to end the crisis.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. In 2015, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activity in exchange for lifted sanctions. But the US left that deal during Trump’s term, and Iran started enriching uranium again.
