Iran Fires Missiles at U.S. Bases in Qatar and Iraq—What Comes Next?

Well, Iran couldn’t leave well enough alone. We pounded them with a big stick, and they didn’t know enough to stay down and lick their wounds.

Iran has launched a coordinated missile strike on U.S. military facilities in Qatar and Iraq, ratcheting tensions in the region to a level not seen since the days after Qassem Soleimani was taken off the battlefield. The strike, part of what Tehran is calling “Operation Annunciation of Victory,” targeted the U.S.-operated Al Udeid Air Base outside Doha and the Ain al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq.

Multiple ballistic missiles—likely medium-range variants from Iran’s vast Revolutionary Guard stockpile—were fired.  Though none of the missiles caused confirmed damage or casualties as of this writing, the message was delivered loud and clear.

Let’s hope no US service members are hurt or killed in these ill-advised attacks, or Iran will see what US military might really looks like.

Things got messier.. Iran is attacking all US bases in ME. This is Qatar right now.. Remember Trump msg after the bombings 2 days ago.

Any retaliation from Iran will be met with a greater response. pic.twitter.com/4oZzV6n0GW

— 🆈🅴🅳🅸🅳 🆈🅰🅷 (@BelovedOfGod_) June 23, 2025

Al Udeid: The Crown Jewel of U.S. Presence in the Gulf

Al Udeid, a critical hub for U.S. operations in the Middle East, houses CENTCOM’s Combined Air Operations Center and up to 10,000 personnel at any given time. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t show up on postcards but plays a central role in keeping the gears of America’s military machine grinding. Fortunately for everyone stationed there, Qatar’s air defense network, backed by U.S.-supplied Patriot systems, successfully intercepted the incoming missiles before they could inflict damage. Qatari officials reported that their airspace was briefly closed during the attack, but operations have since resumed. The statement from Doha was measured but firm: airspace secure, sovereignty violated, and retaliation not ruled out.

Timelapse of the closure and clearing of UAE and Qatar airspace after Iran launched attacks on US military bases in the region. pic.twitter.com/8G7dCGpii2

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) June 23, 2025

Ain al-Asad Targeted Again

The second target, Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq, has seen this movie before. It was struck in 2020 by Iranian missiles following Soleimani’s death and now appears to be back on the regime’s target list. So far, there’s no public confirmation from the Pentagon regarding damage at that location. Iranian state media claimed the strikes were a proportional response to what it called “aggressions against the Islamic Republic,” citing recent U.S. and Israeli attacks on nuclear infrastructure in Iran.

What Kind of Missiles Were Used?

Iran’s missile inventory has grown more advanced and unpredictable in recent years. Reports suggest that Sunday’s strikes may have involved variants of the Qassem-class missile—a medium-range ballistic platform allegedly capable of evading standard missile defense systems. While that claim remains unconfirmed, the Iranian regime has invested heavily in making its missile arsenal harder to track and intercept. The fact that the missiles didn’t land inside the base, and instead hit open areas nearby, indicates a deliberate attempt at calibrated escalation: symbolic rather than catastrophic. Still, the psychological impact of incoming ordnance can’t be shrugged off with a dry press release.

U.S. Moves Assets, Weighs Options

Back in Washington, President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Joint Chiefs convened in the Situation Room just after news of the launch broke. The U.S. military has since repositioned dozens of aircraft, relocated non-essential personnel, and reinforced defensive assets across the region. Additional Patriot missile batteries are en route, and naval presence in the Gulf has been bolstered with deployments from both the USS Nimitz and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier groups. Intelligence satellites are monitoring launch sites across western Iran, while diplomatic channels in Oman, Qatar, and the UAE have lit up like a Christmas tree.

Retaliation on the Table—but Not a Given

Despite the uptick in firepower, the White House has not committed to a counterstrike—at least not yet. Senior defense officials say that “all options remain on the table,” which in Pentagon-speak usually means: we’re pissed off, but not sure if we’re pissed off enough to start a shooting war. That’s not to say retaliatory options aren’t being gamed out. Potential U.S. responses range from airstrikes on Iranian missile launchers, to cyberattacks, to strategic sabotage of facilities linked to the IRGC. So far, restraint seems to be the name of the game—possibly out of deference to allies like Qatar, who’ve already voiced their frustration at being caught in the crossfire.

Tehran’s Calculated Gambit

Tehran, for its part, insists it avoided civilian targets and limited its strikes to military sites. That bit of theater—intended to show discipline and deterrence rather than reckless provocation—has done little to ease global fears. The European Union, along with Germany and France, quickly issued calls for de-escalation. Russia and China have taken the predictable route, urging both sides to show restraint while quietly signaling approval of Tehran’s “measured“ response.

Where This Might Be Headed

The coming days will determine whether this missile exchange becomes a footnote or the opening salvo in something far uglier. If the U.S. retaliates, Iran will likely strike again—and this time, it may not aim for open desert. But if Washington hesitates, it risks projecting weakness in a region where perception is often more important than fact. For now, all eyes remain fixed on Doha’s night sky, waiting for the next launch alert, the next war room briefing, and the next decision that could tilt the Middle East toward either fragile peace or open conflict.

As of this writing, the U.S. holds fire, Qatar cleans up the radar traces, and Iran revels in its “victory”—a term that, in this corner of the world, rarely means what it says.