US President Donald Trump has dismissed Iran’s missile attack on a US military base in Qatar in response to American airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear sites as "very weak," saying Washington had received early warning and was now urging all sides to de-escalate.
"Perhaps Iran can now proceed to peace and harmony in the region," Trump said on his Truth Social platform, adding that he would "enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same."
Qatar, which hosts the largest US military installation in the Middle East, said its air defences intercepted missiles targeting Al Udeid Air Base.
Iranian state media cited the Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying six missiles had hit the base.
US officials confirmed the base had been struck by short- and medium-range ballistic missiles but said it had been evacuated beforehand.
In a statement, Iran's National Security Council said the attack was a "directly proportional" response to US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, including the underground enrichment site at Fordow.
The tit-for-tat attacks follow more than a week of Israeli strikes across Iran, which escalated on Sunday when US forces attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Lifting restrictions as strikes end
After the attack, Qatari authorities stated that the security situation was stable, and the US Embassy lifted its shelter-in-place order, announcing that normal operations would resume on Tuesday.
While Iran said the strike did not threaten its "friendly and brotherly" neighbour Qatar, Doha condemned the attack and warned of a possible direct response.
Saudi Arabia also denounced the missile strike and offered support to Qatar.
Wider conflict fears
The New York Times reported that Iran had signaled its intentions ahead of time to allow "an exit ramp" for all parties, echoing its approach to a previous US-Iran exchange in Iraq in 2020.
As both Iran and Israel exchanged further strikes on Monday, including attacks on Evin prison and military facilities in Tehran, concern grew over a broader regional spillover.
According to Iran’s health ministry, Israeli strikes have killed over 400 people. Iranian attacks on Israel have resulted in 24 deaths, official figures show.
