After Iran Attack, Qatar Again Reclaims Airspace

Cairo, Tuesday – Qatari authorities have reopened their airspace on Tuesday (6/24/2025). Previously, Qatar closed it after Iran's retaliatory attack on Al Udeid, a United States Air Base in Qatar, on Monday (6/23/2025) evening.

As reported, Iran has fired several missiles at the US Air Base, Al Udeid, on Monday night. The attack is a response to the US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, namely Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, on Sunday.

In the retaliatory attack, Iran used short and medium-range ballistic missiles. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that they fired six missiles at the US base.

The National Security Council of Iran stated that the attack was a response to the aggression of the United States against Iran's nuclear sites and facilities. The agency added that they fired missiles equivalent to the bombs dropped by the United States when attacking the three Iranian nuclear sites. Furthermore, the Iranian Security Council emphasized that their attack was not aimed at provoking any threats against Qatar. Tehran asserted that Qatar is a friendly nation, and Tehran remains committed to maintaining the Iran-Qatar brotherhood.

On the other hand, the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al-Ansari, stated that Qatar has the right to respond directly in a proportional manner.

No one was hurt in the Iranian attack on Al Udeid, which some described as a measured response.

Qatar is located 190 kilometers south of Iran. It is where the US has its largest military base in the Middle East.

In response to the attack, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the counterattack had been anticipated. "Iran has officially responded to the Destruction of their Nuclear Facility with a very weak response, which we predicted, and we have countered very effectively," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

In his account, Trump added that after the attack, Iran might be able to return to the negotiating table. "Perhaps Iran can now move towards Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same."

Citing an Iranian official, The New York Times reported that Iran's response to the US attack has been meticulously planned. The attack serves as a means for "all parties to have an exit strategy." It is considered similar to Iran's retaliatory strike on a US military base in Iraq in 2020. This attack was in response to the US strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani, one of the top officials of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Although described as a measured retaliatory strike, several parties are urging the conflicting sides to exercise restraint. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the cycle of chaos in the region must be brought to an end promptly.

In addition to condemning, Saudi Arabia has offered support to Qatar. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has once again urged all parties to choose diplomatic measures to end the conflict in the region.

"Since the beginning of the crisis, the Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned every military escalation in this conflict, including the attacks by Iran in the region of Qatar," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres. Dujarric further stated that all parties should cease hostilities.

(AP/AFP/Reuters)