Overview

• Iran struck both the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar and the Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq in a coordinated missile operation.
• The strikes were launched in retaliation for a U.S. weekend bombing that used B-2 bombers and cruise missiles to hit Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites.
• President Donald Trump described Tehran’s response as “very weak,” thanked Iran for providing early warning, and signaled that the U.S. would refrain from an immediate counterstrike.
• Qatar condemned the violation of its sovereignty and credited its air defenses for neutralizing the threat to Al-Udeid, the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command.
• Diplomatic initiatives are underway, with Germany calling for direct talks, Iran securing backing from Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and U.S. homeland security agencies warning of elevated threats from Iranian-linked actors domestically.