BBC Information
Iran launched missiles at a US navy base in Qatar on Monday, in what it stated was retaliation for American strikes in opposition to its nuclear websites over the weekend.
Witnesses reported listening to loud bangs within the sky above the capital, Doha, whereas movies confirmed shiny flashes within the sky as air defence methods tried to intercept missiles.
Donald Trump described the assault as “very weak” and “anticipated”, and advised peace within the area may proceed.
On Tuesday, the US president introduced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had come into impact.
Here’s what we all know.
What did Iran goal and why?
Iranian missiles focused the most important US navy base within the Center East, Al-Udeid, in what it stated was a response to the US bombing three of its nuclear programme amenities on Saturday night.
Al-Udeid is dwelling to the US navy’s headquarters for all air operations within the area. Some British navy personnel additionally serve there on rotation.
The assault was first confirmed by Iranian state media, and later by the navy.
A press release from the IRGC, essentially the most highly effective department of the Iranian navy, stated that “Iran won’t depart any assault on its sovereignty unanswered”, and added: “US bases within the area are usually not strengths however vulnerabilities.”
The US had beforehand warned Iran not to answer its strikes on nuclear amenities and urged leaders in Tehran to comply with a diplomatic finish to hostilities within the area.
There have been differing reviews about what number of missiles have been fired. Iran stated six, the US stated 14, and Qatar was reported by Reuters as saying 19 – all of which, it added, have been intercepted.
Nobody has been reported killed or injured.
Within the hours earlier than the assault, each the US and UK had suggested their residents in Qatar to “shelter in place”. About 8,000 US residents reside in Qatar, in accordance with the State Division, in addition to a number of thousand British residents.
What was stated after the assault
It turned obvious quickly afterwards that Iran had given warning that it was making ready to launch missiles. Three Iranian officers quoted by the New York Instances stated that Tehran had instructed Doha of its intentions, as a approach to minimise casualties.
In his first feedback within the aftermath, President Donald Trump thanked Iran “for giving us early discover, which made it doable for no lives to be misplaced, and no one to be injured”.
He branded the assault “very weak” – no Individuals have been harmed and little or no harm was finished, he stated. “They’ve gotten all of it out of their system,” he added and stated there was now an opportunity for “peace”.
However, a spokesman for Qatar’s overseas ministry stated the assault was a “shock” and a “flagrant violation of its sovereignty”, and added that Qatar “was one of many first nations to warn in opposition to the hazards of Israeli escalation within the area”.
Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the meantime stated that Iran didn’t hurt anybody within the assault however that his nation wouldn’t “undergo anybody’s violation”.
“We’ve not violated anybody, and we are going to by no means settle for being violated by anybody. We won’t undergo anybody’s violation; that is the logic of the Iranian nation,” he stated on X (as translated by BBC Persian).
On Tuesday, Israel publicly agreed to Trump’s ceasefire proposal whereas Iran stated it might solely cease its assaults if Israel did the identical.
Iranian state media introduced the nation had fired “a final spherical of missiles” in the direction of Israel earlier than the ceasefire started.
In the meantime, the Israeli authorities issued a warning to Iran: “Israel will reply forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire.”
What have been the indicators that the assault was imminent?
There have been indications on Monday that the US suspected Iran was making ready to launch missiles into Qatar.
Hours earlier than the assault, Qatar stated it was quickly closing its airspace, shortly after the US and UK instructed residents in Qatar to “shelter in place”.
These warnings didn’t give a transparent indication an assault was imminent: the US stated it issued the order “out of an abundance of warning”, whereas the UK stated it was following the lead of the Individuals.
Nevertheless, round an hour earlier than the assault, the BBC discovered of “a reputable risk” to the bottom.
Individually, some US media shops quoted nameless US officers as saying Iranian missile launchers had been positioned for a possible launch in the direction of Qatar.
Flight monitoring web sites confirmed planes had already began diverting to different airports earlier than the launch. In line with Flightradar24, there have been 100 flights sure for Doha shortly earlier than missile launches have been detected.
Hamad Worldwide Airport is without doubt one of the world’s high 10 busiest for worldwide visitors, with round 140,000 passengers passing by per day.
Different nations within the area, together with Bahrain and Kuwait, additionally closed their airspace for a short interval.
How did we get right here?
The US launched large strikes in opposition to three nuclear amenities inside Iran on Saturday.
That got here after days of uncertainty over whether or not the US would be part of Israel’s navy motion in opposition to Iran, which began on 13 June.
Israel has been launching each day missile strikes in opposition to nuclear and navy amenities inside Iran, which its authorities says are obligatory to stop Iran from imminently constructing a nuclear weapon.
Successive Israeli and American governments have sought to stop Iran from buying a nuclear weapon. Iran has all the time maintained its intensive nuclear programme is for civilian functions.
The US claimed its strikes badly broken Iran’s nuclear programme, although the total extent of their affect stays unclear.
Assaults between Iran and Israel additionally continued on Sunday and Monday earlier than the ceasefire took impact.