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Here’s where things stand on Monday 23 June 2025:
- Iran says it launched an attack on United States forces at Al Udeid Air Base. Qatar says its air defenses successfully thwarted the attack on the facility, which had been evacuated.
- US official confirms base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles from Iran; no casualties reported so far.
- Explosions rock Iran’s capital, Tehran, as Israel announces attacks on government and military sites; Iran also sends waves of missiles and drones into Israel, with blasts heard in multiple cities.
- Israeli air raids target the outskirts of several areas in south Lebanon, including the villages of Zrariyeh, Kfrar Milki and Ansar.
- President Donald Trump has hinted at the demise of Iran’s leadership saying: “If the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn’t there be a regime change?”
- Iran says more than 400 people, including 13 children, have been killed and at least 3,056 others wounded since Israel launched its attack on June 13. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed in Iranian strikes.
What are Qatari officials saying about the Iranian attack?
Here’s what Qatari officials said about the attack:
- Qatar received information that bases in the region are being targeted, including Al Udeid Air Base.
- At 7:30pm (1630 GMT), we received reports that seven missiles were launched from Iran toward Al Udeid Air Base.
- One missile landed at Al Udeid Air Base without causing any casualties.
- Al Udeid Air Base was evacuated before the attack.
- We are proud of the response to today’s attack and no damage was reported.
Qatar says one missile hit Al Udeid Air Base, no casualties
Qatar has confirmed that a total of 19 missiles were fired from Iran.
It added that only one of those hit Al Udeid Air Base but caused no casualties.
Qatar says situation now ‘completely stable’
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior says the situation in the country is “completely stable” and that all authorities are working in coordination to ensure the safety of the public.
Jabr al-Naimi from Qatar’s Public Security said the safety of citizens, residents, and residents is of the “utmost priority”.
“We will not allow any international or external crisis or conflict to affect our life in Qatar,” he said in a televised press conference.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also said life is going back to “normal” following the attack, and has reiterated its call for warring parties to negotiate.
Kuwait reopens airspace
Kuwait’s civil aviation authority says its airspace has been reopened after a brief suspension.
It added that operations have returned to normal at Kuwait International Airport.
IAEA chief says damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities estimated to be ‘very significant’
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has said the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities is likely to have caused extensive damage.
Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said this was the case because of “the explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges”.
However, the IAEA boss said the consequences of the attack were still not fully understood.
Grossi said “no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordow”, referring to one of Iran’s nuclear facilities targeted by the Trump administration.
Read more here.
Iran’s attack on Al Udeid Air Base a ‘symbolic show of force’
Omar Rahman, a Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, says Iran’s attack on Al Udeid Air Base is a “symbolic show of force that the Iranians felt they needed to make”.
They also carried out the attack to show they they can “project that sort of power and force into the region”, Rahman told Al Jazeera.
“The Iranians felt that if there wasn’t any response … that would send the wrong message to the United States,” Rahman said.
Trump says Iran gave US ‘early notice’ of Al Udeid attack
The US president dismissed the Iranian missile launch at Al Udeid Air Base as weak, suggesting that Washington will not respond to it.
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump said in a social media post.
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.”
Trump says Iran gave US ‘early notice’ of Al Udeid attack
The US president dismissed the Iranian missile launch at Al Udeid Air Base as weak, suggesting that Washington will not respond to it.
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump said in a social media post.
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.”
Remains to be seen whether this is the end of the Iranian response
It remains to be seen whether this marks the end of Iran’s response to the US attacks on its nuclear facilities.
Previously, Iran stated that it would respond if the US chose to intervene in the already escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. That has now happened.
But whether this will be the final attack, or if more are to come, is still unclear.
From the Iranian perspective, it could be implied that they consider the situation to be even at this point.
However, in the broader context, we are now seeing deeper involvement from the US. The Iranians claim that not only the US, but also European countries, are supplying Israel with the infrastructure and weaponry used to target Iranian territory.
So, from Iran’s point of view, it is part of an ongoing battle in which it is being targeted on a daily basis.
Oman condemns Iranian attack, blames Israel for escalation
Oman’s Foreign Ministry has denounced the attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as an “objectionable” violation of the country’s sovereignty.
“The Sultanate of Oman condemns the ongoing escalation that the region is witnessing, which was caused by Israel when it launched an illegitimate bombing attack on June 13 against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ministry said in a statement.
Qatar says security situation ‘stable’ after Iranian attack
Qatar’s Interior Ministry says there is “no cause for concern” following Iran’s attack.
A statement by the ministry stressed “the importance of not giving in to rumours or circulating inaccurate information”.
It called on the residents of the country “to refrain from sharing or reposting any information not issued by official sources”.
The ministry vowed to “take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens and residents, and to maintain the normalcy of public life”.
Khamenei says Iran won’t accept aggression from anyone
A message posted on the social media account of Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says Iran did not harm anyone and will not accept any aggression from anyone under any kind of circumstances.
“We will not submit to anyone’s aggression; this is the logic of the Iranian nation.”
Lebanon PM condemns Iranian attack
Beirut joins the growing list of Arab capitals denouncing the Iranian missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
“I condemn in the strongest terms the aggression that the brotherly state of Qatar endured, and I stress Lebanon’s solidarity with the Qatari government and people,” Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said in a statement.
Where is Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar?
Al Udeid Air Base is a self-contained facility located about 50-60km (30-37 miles) outside Doha city centre.
The air base is far removed from the urban centre, and the civilian population has no interaction with it or with the military personnel stationed there.
It is located off Salwa Road, the road connecting Doha to the border with Saudi Arabia.
It is entirely self-contained – just as it was designed to be when the Qataris built it in 1996.
Full text: IRGC statement on Al Udeid base attack
Here’s the translated version of the full statement by the IRGC on the attack it launched earlier today:
“To the noble and resilient people of Iran:
“Following the blatant military aggression by the criminal regime of the United States of America against the peaceful nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its clear violation of international law, and based on the decision of the Supreme National Security Council and the leadership of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (PBUH), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has, under the sacred code name “Ya Aba Abdillah al-Hussain (AS),” launched a powerful and devastating missile attack on the Al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar as part of Operation Good News of Victory.
“This base serves as the command center of the US Air Force and is the largest strategic asset of the American terrorist army in West Asia.
“The message of this decisive action by the sons of our nation in the armed forces to the White House and its allies is clear and direct:
The Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on Almighty God and supported by the faithful and proud people of Islamic Iran, will under no circumstances leave any aggression against its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or national security unanswered.
“The American enemy’s aggression has once again exposed that Zionist malevolence is a continuation of US schemes. Accordingly, we emphasize that in this national defense, US bases and mobile military assets in the region are not points of strength, but rather major vulnerabilities and the Achilles’ heel of this warmongering regime.
“On the eve of Muharram—the month of mourning for the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussain (AS)—we once again warn the enemies of Islamic Iran:
“The era of hit-and-run is over.
“The resolve of our powerful and popular armed forces is such that any repetition of hostile acts will accelerate the collapse of U.S. military structures in the region, lead to their disgraceful retreat from West Asia, and contribute to the realization of the shared aspiration of the Islamic Ummah and freedom-seeking nations around the world: the eradication of the cancerous Zionist regime.”
US may absorb Iranian attacks to secure nuclear deal
Liqaa Maki, a scholar at Al Jazeera Media Institute, says the US may be able to withstand Iranian attacks on its bases without responding if they do not cause casualties.
“The US, after the important strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, needs to transform the military achievement into a political one enshrined by an agreement,” Maki said.
He noted that Iran still has large quantities of highly enriched uranium as well as nuclear know-how.
“So in two to three years, Iran could resume its nuclear activity but without inspections. It could produce a bomb without the world noticing,” Maki said.
He added that the US will be looking to “invest” the strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites to secure a new deal that would curb or end Iran’s nuclear programme.
Bahrain slams Iranian attack on base in Qatar
Bahrain announced its “strong condemnation” of the attack on the base in Qatar, stressing that it considers “it a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law and the United Nations Charter”.
The statement said that Bahrain affirmed its support for Qatar following the Iranian attack on its territory, expressing its full solidarity with the country during the “sensitive circumstances facing the region”.
Iranian attack on Al Udeid was ‘telegraphed and calibrated’
Ali Vaez, senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, says the attack on Al Udeid does not mean that the Iranians are “done” with their war with Israel.
The Iranians “certainly do not want to drag the US further in and so they have opted for symbolic response that provides an offramp for Trump, if he chooses to de-escalate from this point on”, Vaez told Al Jazeera.
“This was telegraphed and calibrated,” Vaez said, adding that the fact that there is a “good relationship between Iran and Qatar certainly played a role” in why Iran chose the Al Udeid Air Base as a target.
The same strategy would apply if Iran attacks the US base in Iraq, he said.
Who said what on the Iranian attack targeting military base in Qatar?
Qatar: The Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, calling it “a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, its airspace, and international law”.
United States: A defence official confirmed the missile attack and said no casualties have been reported.
Iran: Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said, “This action posed no danger to our friendly and brotherly nation of Qatar and its honourable people. The Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to preserving and continuing its warm and historic relations with Qatar.”
France: President Macron called for a return to diplomacy to end what he called “the spiral of chaos”.
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia condemned and denounced the “aggression” launched by Iran against Qatar, considering it a “flagrant violation of international law and the principles of good neighbourliness”.
Advance coordination believed to have allowed base evacuation
The US military is now saying only the base in Qatar has been attacked.
The initial report is showing there have been no casualties – that’s because, as we understand, of the coordination between Iran and the United States through diplomatic channels, which allowed for the base to be evacuated in advance to minimise the casualties.
We also know that in advance of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base, which is the headquarters of the Central Command, the largest installation in the region, there was an evacuation of the major infrastructure in terms of the aircraft.
Officials are also telling Al Jazeera that the US has made preparations in the region in anticipation of any further Iranian strikes. As a result, US forces are on high alert in all the remaining bases.
What we know is that the Pentagon right now, even if it’s on high alert, is not tracking any other potential attacks in any other bases – this was localised to Qatar.
What you need to know about Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar
The 24-hectare (60-acre) Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha, is a key military base housing US troops in the Middle East and a key hub for US operations in the region.
It houses more than 10,000 US and coalition forces and serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command (CENTCOM).
It was established through a defence cooperation agreement in 1996.
The base plays a critical role in air operations across Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan and includes runways capable of handling B-52 bombers and other heavy aircraft.
Read more here.
Oman Air partially suspends flights in the region
Oman Air has temporarily suspended flights to and from Manama, Dubai, Kuwait and Doha amid regional developments, according to a statement on X.
“Flights across the rest of our network may be delayed as a result of longer flight paths,” it said.
Top US Democrat calls for briefing on Iranian attack
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has reiterated that Trump needs to consult Congress before taking any military action against Iran.
“I’ve seen press reports that Iranian missiles are targeting US military bases in the Middle East, putting the lives of thousands of American service members at immediate risk,” Schumer said on X.
“I’ve asked the Trump administration to give me a classified briefing to lay out the full threat picture, the intelligence behind Iran’s retaliation, and the details, scope, and timeline of any US response.”
France’s Macron voices support for Qatar, calls for de-escalation
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has expressed solidarity with Qatar after the Iranian attack.
“I call on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint, de-escalate, and return to the negotiating table. This spiral of chaos must end,” Macron wrote in a social media post.
Nuclear talks between the US and Iran were scheduled two days before Israel started attacking Iranian targets earlier this month. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his French, German and British counterparts a day before the US bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Iraq reacts to Iranian attack on base in Qatar
We have more international reaction – this time from Iraq.
In a statement, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is following with “deep concern the dangerous and accelerating escalation in the region” following the attack on the base in Qatar.
“This development is a development that Iraq has long warned against, given the grave risks it poses to the security and stability of the entire region,” it said.
It warned the escalation “represents a dangerous and unprecedented turning point in the conflict”, raising fears of an “expansion of the confrontation”.
The ministry also stressed that regional crises can only be resolved through dialogue and reiterated its call for restraint.
‘Many were scared’: Qatar-based professor recounts attack on Al Udeid
Mehran Kamrava, a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, lives 30km (18 miles) away from Al Udeid Air Base.
“We heard massive booms, the building shook, the windows shook, and as I looked outside, the night sky had all these flying lights,” Kamrava told Al Jazeera.
“I live in one of the many gated communities here called compounds. The neighbours were running and many were scared. I saw many people cry.”
For the first time in his 18 years of living in Qatar, Kamrava said he heard “sirens go off”.
“There was a fair amount of fear among the residents here,” he said.
UAE condemns in ‘strongest terms’ Iran’s attack on Qatar
The UAE’s Foreign Ministry said it considers the attack “a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace and a clear contravention of international law and the UN Charter”.
“The UAE affirmed its categorical rejection of any attack that threatens the security and safety of Qatar and undermines the security and stability of the region,” it said.
The ministry expressed the UAE’s “full solidarity with Qatar and its unwavering support for all measures aimed at protecting the security and safety of its citizens and residents”.
‘We’re hoping that it ends there’: Anti-war US veteran
Naveed Shah, the political director of Common Defense, an advocacy group for US military veterans that opposes what it calls the “forever war”, says US retaliation to the Iranian missile attack could lead to spiralling escalation.
“We’re hoping that it ends there,” Shah, who served with the US military in Iraq, told Al Jazeera.
“If it doesn’t, if Trump decides to launch another strike, this could continue and grow in size, and all we can only anticipate that there could be casualties, and then it’ll only get worse from there.”
Shah noted that Trump did not respond to the Iranian missile attack against US troops in Iraq after the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020, but he stressed that Trump is “unpredictable”.
‘Netanyahu is manipulating the US’
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, said the war in Gaza is setting a lot of precedents in the region and wider international relations.
“Some of them are very reminiscent of the things that happened in the past,” he said, adding that this was the first time Iran targeted a US base outside Iraq.
“It is also new the way the US attacked Iran and the way Israel preventively attacked Iran in its war of choice,” Bishara said.
He added that all developments show Netanyahu is “taking the entire region to an unknown as an indicted criminal”.