Qatar blames Israeli escalation after Iranian strike on Al Udeid

Shafaq News/ Qatar on Monday pointed to Israeli provocations as a driving force behind rising regional tensions, following an Iranian missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said the strike, which Doha condemned as a "flagrant violation of sovereignty," came despite Qatar’s active efforts to mediate conflicts—efforts repeatedly undermined by what he described as Israel’s “irresponsible escalation.”

Al-Ansari reiterated Qatar’s call for all parties to return to the negotiating table and resolve disputes peacefully, reminding of Doha’s repeated warnings about the risks posed by Israel’s escalating behavior and what he termed as its “irresponsible conduct” in the region.

In turn, Major General Shayeg bin Misfer Al-Hajri, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations in Qatar explained the Iranian attack, "At 7:30 p.m. local time (4:30 p.m. GMT), we received information indicating that seven missiles were launched from Iran toward Al Udeid…Qatar's air defense systems intercepted and downed all but one missile, which landed within the base perimeter without causing casualties or material damage.”