Iran launches missiles at US base in Qatar in retaliation for American bombing

Iran has launched a limited missile attack on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites but indicating it was prepared to step back from escalating tensions.There were no US casualties, Donald Trump said as he dismissed the attack as a “very weak response”, adding that Washington was warned by Tehran in advance.“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” the US president posted on Truth Social.Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base but said it intercepted the short and medium-range ballistic missiles.Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the US on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, adding that it targeted the base because it was outside populated areas.Those comments, made immediately after the attack, suggested Tehran wanted to de-escalate with the US, something Mr Trump said after the strikes early on Sunday on Iran.He said Iran might be able to “now proceed to Peace and Harmony” and he would encourage Israel to do the same.However, Israel’s war on Iran continued, with the Israeli military expanding its campaign on Monday to target sites symbolic for the country’s theocracy.Iran announced the attack on Qatar on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression”.Meanwhile, a US military official said no American bases in Iraq were targeted but a malfunctioning Iranian missile aimed at Israel had triggered an alert in Iraq earlier in the day. It came after reports that Iraqis had said they were informed by US officials that missiles had been launched towards the the Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq. Iran fired 19 missiles at the base in Qatar, and one impacted the facility but caused no casualties, a Qatari military officer said.Major General Shayeq Al Hajri told reporters that seven missiles were fired initially from Iran and all were intercepted over the water between the two countries by Qatari air defences. Iran then fired 12 more missiles and 11 were intercepted over Qatari territory, but one hit the US base, Maj Gen al Hajri said.It was not clear how much damage was caused by the missile.Mr Trump said 14 missiles were fired, 13 were brought down and one was “set free” because it posed no threat.The Al Udeid base is home to the Combined Air Operations Centre, which provides command and control of air power across the region, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such unit in the world.Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: “We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.”The retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack on Sunday morning on three of Iran’s nuclear sites.