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By Tom O'Connor, Dan Gooding, and Gabe Whisnant
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Iran launched missile strikes Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar in retaliation for the American bombing of its nuclear facilities—an escalation that further inflamed tensions across the region.
Iran launched 19 missiles at the sprawling, Al Udeid Air Base with one striking the facility but causing no casualties, a Qatari military official said late Monday.
Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri told reporters that the first wave of seven missiles was intercepted over the waters between Iran and Qatar. A second volley of 12 missiles followed, of which 11 were intercepted over Qatari territory, while one reached the base.
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The extent of the damage from the lone impact remains unclear.
Later Monday, President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Israel and Iran have agreed to a new ceasefire agreement amid back-and-forth attacks from the two nations and on the heels of a retaliatory military strike from Iran to a U.S. base in Qatar.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the 24-hour phased-in ceasefire will begin at approximately midnight Tuesday eastern time, giving the two countries six hours to have "wound down and completed their in progress, final missions." He said it would bring an "Official END" to the war.
Trump Says Iran Gave US Advanced Warning
Iran said Monday that the number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs dropped by the U.S. over the weekend, suggesting a calibrated response aimed at avoiding broader conflict. Tehran also emphasized that it targeted Al Udeid specifically because of its location away from civilian population centers.
Speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday, former U.S. Navy Commander Kirk Lippold was asked, how likely he thought this may be the last of Iran's retaliations.
"I think we should be hopeful that this is the one maneuver that Iran feels like they have. They've struck back at the 'Great Satan,' the U.S. The conflict may still rage between Iran and Israel."
He continued, "This may have been their [Iran's] one shot. That will be good. It gives both sides a critical window of time to discuss the two key points, dismantling Iran's nuclear program and turning over all nuclear materials they have to date."
President Donald Trump said later on Monday that 14 missiles were launched, 13 were intercepted, and one was "set free" because it posed no threat.
President Trump said Monday that Iran provided advance warning ahead of its missile strike on a U.S. air base in Qatar.
"I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured," he wrote on social media.
The president expressed optimism that the attack marked the end of Iran's retaliation for recent U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities. "Most importantly, they've gotten it all out of their 'system,' and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE," he added.
Why It Matters
In the past, Iran has threatened American forces at Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command. Qatar, across the Persian Gulf from Iran, maintains diplomatic relations with Iran and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran.
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What To Know
Iraqi sources reported that U.S. officials alerted them to incoming missiles targeting the Ain al-Assad base, which hosts American troops in western Iraq. However, the missiles never reached their destination, according to an Iraqi security official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
A U.S. military official, also speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to comment, confirmed there was no verified attack on the base.
A Department of Defense official told Newsweek on Monday, "I can confirm that al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today. At this time, there are no reports of U.S. casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available."
Officials added that the country's airspace had been secured.
Following the strike, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari called it a "violation of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace and the UN charter", per Al Jazeera.
"We, in the State of Qatar, reserve our right to respond directly ... to this blatant aggression in accordance with international law," al-Ansari said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Supreme National Security Council said the strike was away from residential areas, issuing a statement which said the action did "not pose any threat to the friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people, and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to maintaining and continuing warm and historic relations with Qatar."
Earlier in the day, Israel expanded its war against Iran to include targets associated with the country's struggling theocracy, striking the gate of a Tehran prison notorious for holding political activists and hitting the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests.
As plumes of thick smoke rose over Tehran, Israel was attacked with yet another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. The persistent fire has become a reality for civilians in both countries since Israel started the war to target Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.
On the 11th day of the conflict, Israel said it attacked "regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran," but Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran's government, their archenemy since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The latest strikes unfolded only hours after President Donald Trump openly raised the possibility himself after just a day earlier inserting America into the war with its unprecedented stealth-bomber strike on three Iranian nuclear sites.
"If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???" he asked on his Truth Social website.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as "simply raising a question." However, suggestions of overthrowing the Iranian government drew new anger from Tehran, which insists it will not negotiate at this time and is threatening to retaliate directly against either American troops or interests in a Mideast already inflamed by the still-raging Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
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What People Are Saying
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana told reporters Monday: "This is the retaliation that was expected. So far, so good, no casualties, so far as we know. And I know that the national security team is in the situation or even as we speak, and they're monitoring this."
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News reported on X, formerly Twitter, that Johnson would not say the missiles fired at the U.S. base in Qatar was "symbolic."
The House Speaker replied, according to Sherman, "I'm not going to comment on it because I don't want to affect any of these events."
The State Department issued a worldwide security alert to U.S. citizens on June 22: "The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution."
A statement from Qatar Foreign Minister spokesman Majed al-Ansari said that the energy-rich nation "condemns the attack that targeted Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard."
al-Ansari said, "We reassure that Qatar's air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles."
Iran declared on state television that it had launched a missile strike on U.S. forces in Iraq and at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base, describing the operation as "a mighty and successful response to America's aggression," accompanied by martial music and patriotic visuals.
Moments before the explosions were reported, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X: "We neither initiated the war nor seek it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer."
What's Next
The Israeli military warned Iranians that it would continue to attack military sites around Tehran over "the coming days" as its focuses has shifted to symbolic targets as well. The military issued the warning on the social platform X, though Iranians are struggling to access the outside world as an internet shutdown has crippled the country.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Update: 6/23/2025, 1:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 6/23/2025, 2:16 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 6/23/2025, 3:13 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new remarks.
Update: 6/23/2025, 4:15 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information.
Update: 6/23/2025, 4:58 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 6/23/2025, 7:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
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