Iran has said it launched an attack on United States forces at  Al Udeid Air Base.  in Qatar after Tehran said it would retaliate against the United States strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially confirmed Monday that it launched a retaliatory missile attack targeting the American Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports.

Tasnim said the operation is called “Annunciation of Victory”.

Flares were visible over Qatar’s capital, Doha Monday. It was initially not immediately known if this was the air defence system or missiles.

Loud explosions were also be heard.

The US and United Kingdom embassies in Qatar had earlier released statements recommending citizens in Qatar to shelter in place until further notice. Qatar said it shut down its airspace temporarily as part of the measures taken to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.

The countries with the most US troops include Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. These installations serve as critical hubs for air and naval operations, regional logistics, intelligence gathering and force projection.

Al Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East, established in 1996. Covering an area of 24 hectares (60 acres), the base accommodates almost 100 aircraft as well as drones. This base, which houses some 10,000 troops, serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been central to operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

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