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A major escalation unfolded in the Middle East on Monday after Iran reportedly launched multiple missiles targeting US military installations in Qatar and Iraq, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar--the largest US military installation in the region, according to a CNN report.
The development follows US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in the early hours of Sunday. Two officials familiar with the situation confirmed to CNN that the US is tracking multiple missiles launched from Iran. A White House official said that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine are currently in the Situation Room, closely monitoring the unfolding events. Earlier, Iran's state TV reported that Iran had begun an operation against a US base in Qatar. Samaa TV, citing Iranian state TV, dubbed this operation against US bases in the region as 'Operation Basharat al-Fath'. According to CNN, US personnel at the embassies in Qatar and Bahrain are in "duck and cover" as Iran launches retaliatory missiles toward Qatar and Iraq. The Qatari foreign ministry wrote on X that its government had temporarily shut down its airspace amid the heightened tensions. The move follows Iran's announcement of retaliation against the United States, which has heightened security concerns across the Gulf region. The US Embassy in Doha has already issued alerts to its citizens, advising them to remain in secure shelters until further notice. Earlier in the day, Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out strikes on command centres and assets belonging to the Internal Security Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran, Iran, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement. As part of the operation, the headquarters of the Basij were targeted. The Basij is identified as one of the IRGC's central armed bases of power and is responsible for enforcing Islamic law and reporting civilians who violate it to regime authorities. Additionally, the Alborz Corps--tasked with securing several cities in the Tehran District and ensuring the regime's stability--was struck, along with the Intelligence and General Security Police under the Internal Security Forces, which the IDF described as integral components of the regime's military forces. "These command centres have a significant military effect and additionally they impact the regime's ability to impose control," the IDF stated, adding that the strikes harmed the Iranian regime's military capabilities. Building on the outcome of these strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the developments, stating on Sunday that Israel is "very close" to achieving its goals in Iran. He claimed significant damage had been inflicted on Iran's ballistic missile program and nuclear facilities, according to The Times of Israel. (ANI)
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