The sky over Doha lit up before the headlines caught up. On June 23, Iran launched ballistic missiles targeting U.S. military installations in Iraq. Missiles were also seen flying over Qatar’s capital, triggering immediate panic and a full airspace closure. The U.S. Embassy in Doha issued a shelter-in-place order for all American citizens. No timeline. No explanation. Just the alert.
This is not a drill. This is the retaliation Tehran promised. The strikes follow U.S. air raids on three Iranian nuclear sites just days earlier. Fordow. Natanz. Isfahan. The Pentagon called them precision strikes. Iran called them an act of war. Now the response is in motion.
🚨BREAKING: Iran has launched missiles at Qatar, missiles seen flying over Doha. pic.twitter.com/xZjhDIydou
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 23, 2025
🚨🚨*IRAN LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILES AT U.S. MILITARY BASES IN IRAQ
Iraq now too.
— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) June 23, 2025
Qatar is not a bystander. It hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. That base houses thousands of American troops and serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command. It is a strategic hub. It is also a target. The embassy’s warning came hours after the missiles were spotted. The base is now under restricted access. Flights are grounded. Commercial air traffic has been rerouted or canceled. Qatar Airways suspended service to Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Emirates and FlyDubai followed.
In Iraq, the situation is worse. Multiple U.S. bases were hit. Casualty reports are still coming in. The Department of Defense has not released official numbers. But early intelligence suggests that Al Asad Air Base and Erbil were among the targets. These are not symbolic strikes. These are direct hits on American military infrastructure.
Iran’s military command said the operation was “targeted and proportional.” That is the language of escalation. Tehran’s leadership has vowed more strikes if the U.S. continues its involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. The message is clear. Every American base in the region is now in the crosshairs.
Sources:
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2025-06-23/qatar-embassy-shelter-in-place-18215020.html