ensions in the Middle East have exploded after Iran launched a major missile attack on U.S. military targets, just days after President Donald Trump ordered a dramatic bombing campaign against Iranian nuclear sites.
The number of bombs the U.S. used
According to Reuters, six Iranian missiles were fired Monday (June 23) at the Al-Udeid Air Base near Doha, Qatar — the largest U.S. military installation in the region, housing around 10,000 American troops.
Iran has also confirmed that a missile was fired at a U.S. military base in Iraq, marking another front in the escalating conflict.
Meanwhile, the Al-Udeid base in Qatar was among the key targets hit in the latest wave of Iranian missile strikes.
The assault was described by Iran’s state-run Tasnim News as part of “Operation Annunciation of Victory,” aimed at both U.S. forces in Qatar and Israeli targets.
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Iranian state television broadcast news of the missile launch with martial music, flashing a bold caption on screen: “A mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has stated that the number of missiles fired at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar matched exactly the number of bombs the U.S. used during its recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Iran’s military claimed the missile barrage was “devastating and powerful,” despite Qatari air defenses successfully intercepting the projectiles. Qatari officials later confirmed that no casualties were reported at Al-Udeid, although the country had shut down its airspace earlier in the day in anticipation of an attack.
“We affirm that the state of Qatar reserves the right to respond directly, proportionate to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression and in accordance with international law,” Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said in a statement Monday.
United Arab Emirates closes its airspace
As the situation spiraled, the U.S. embassy in Qatar issued a warning to American citizens, urging them to shelter in place “until further notice.”
Following Iran’s latest wave of attacks, the United Arab Emirates has now closed its airspace as a precaution, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, neighboring Bahrain has issued a warning to its citizens, urging them to take shelter immediately.
The escalation follows Trump’s headline-grabbing move on Saturday night (June 21), when he ordered a stealth airstrike that “completely obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
“Mission success,” the former president declared, adding the operation was designed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
In response, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took to X (formerly Twitter), writing: “We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.”
Crisis enters its 11th day
As the crisis enters its 11th day, Israel has also become more deeply involved. Early Monday, Israeli forces launched strikes inside Tehran, targeting what they called “regime targets and government repression bodies.”
The Israeli military made it clear the strikes were far from over, promising continued attacks on symbolic sites around Iran’s capital “over the coming days.”
Back in Washington, Trump remained defiant. Just hours before Iran’s missile retaliation, he posted a provocative message on Truth Social: “If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???”
The BBC reports that Trump is currently in the West Wing, with a U.S. Marine stationed outside the White House door — a sign the former president is actively overseeing the crisis.
With airstrikes flying and tensions peaking across the region, fears of full-scale war are rising fast — and both sides appear determined to keep hitting back.
