Iran has reportedly launched a series of at least 10 powerful ballistic missiles targeting multiple U.S. military bases across the Middle East, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing geopolitical conflict between the two nations. Tehran has described the missile barrage as a direct and calculated retaliation for the recent airstrikes ordered by former U.S. President Donald Trump on Iran’s critical nuclear sites.
One of the primary targets of the attack was the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, widely known as the largest American military installation in the region. The base houses more than 11,000 U.S. troops and is a strategic hub that supports operations involving over 100 aircraft, including bombers, drones, and surveillance planes.
According to Qatari defense authorities, advanced air defense systems were immediately deployed and successfully intercepted the incoming missiles before they could reach critical targets. Fortunately, no casualties or significant infrastructure damage have been reported at this time.
Following the missile strike on the Qatari base, air raid sirens were triggered at other major U.S. military installations in Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain, indicating a coordinated attack intended to send a strong message to Washington and its regional allies.
The missile assault comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s controversial military order to bomb Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities over the weekend. The U.S. used heavy-duty 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs, aiming to cripple Iran’s atomic infrastructure. The move sparked global outrage and has now provoked a severe counter-response from the Iranian regime.
Iranian leadership has issued bold and defiant warnings, promising to hold not only the United States but also Israel and other Western nations accountable for any civilian casualties and long-term fallout from the conflict. Iranian state media quoted high-ranking officials as saying the U.S. would “directly pay” for the aggression and should prepare for a prolonged war that could extend for as long as two years.
Further inflammatory rhetoric from Tehran has heightened fears of a major regional war, as Iranian broadcasters claimed that up to 50,000 American troops could be "returned to Washington in coffins" if hostilities continue to spiral out of control.
The international community remains on edge as calls grow for de-escalation and diplomacy amid one of the most dangerous military standoffs in the Middle East in recent history.