The U.S. navy bombed key nuclear websites in Iran over the weekend. Afterwards, President Trump warned Iran to not strike again — however Iran has launched missiles at a serious U.S air base in Qatar.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
At this time, Iran struck again, firing missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar. Qatar says its air defenses efficiently intercepted these missiles, which focused a base the place hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed. There are not any stories of U.S. casualties. This, after all, comes within the wake of the U.S. instantly inserting itself into Israel’s battle with Iran, bombing three Iranian nuclear websites over the weekend. And this is a twist – President Trump has thanked Iran for giving the U.S. advance discover of the missile assaults as we speak. I need to usher in two of the various NPR reporters monitoring threads of this battle. Aya Batrawy is on the bottom for us in Dubai. Hey there, Aya.
AYA BATRAWY, BYLINE: Hello.
KELLY: Hello. And Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman is reporting right here in Washington. Tom, I will provide the first query. What extra particulars do we’ve on these missile strikes by Iran?
TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Effectively, a protection official stated greater than 10 or so short- and medium-range missiles fired from Iran. All have been shot down by air defenses, and once more, no casualties. Qatar’s overseas ministry denounced the assault they stated got here from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, calling it a flagrant violation of the nation’s sovereignty and airspace.
We do know that there was a shelter-in-place order earlier than the assaults, and likewise, all U.S. bases within the area have been positioned on increased alert. Now, Iran claims it additionally fired a missile or missiles at a base in Iraq, however the Pentagon had no stories of that. Iraq has closed its airspace and likewise had no stories there of any missiles fired.
KELLY: Aya Batrawy, on the bottom for us within the area, simply situate us – this assault on Qatar. How important is that? That could be a Gulf Arab state. It’s pleasant with the U.S. Trump simply visited final month.
BATRAWY: Yeah, we have by no means seen an assault concentrating on U.S. troops in Qatar earlier than. You already know, Qatar walks a extremely wonderful line within the Gulf. It does share the world’s largest underwater fuel discipline with Iran. And some years in the past, in the event you recall when Arab neighbors did minimize ties with Qatar – closed their ports, and Qatar’s solely border to it, Iran was one of many first nations that rushed to ship over meals and different vitals to Qatar. And so, yeah, Qatar was given a complicated discover, did that extremely uncommon step of closing its airspace for two hours earlier than the assault after which was in a position to shoot down these missiles.
However, you already know, additionally Qatar’s management does have these shut ties with Trump and his Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff. You already know, Trump was simply within the Gulf, as you talked about, solely final month, assembly with Gulf rulers. You already know, he was additionally supplied a Boeing plane to interchange one in all his older Air Drive Ones by Qatar. However what this assault does is it actually simply attracts in additional nations to this battle on account of what started as Israel’s assault on Iran 10 days in the past. Nations throughout the area rushed to sentence, in very strongly worded statements, Iran’s assault tonight and warned of this spiraling uncontrolled.
KELLY: Spiraling uncontrolled. Though, Tom Bowman, this isn’t completely surprising. It was simply exactly this type of retaliatory assault from Iran that U.S. officers have been fearful about after they joined the battle over the weekend.
BOWMAN: Completely. It is a major concern. There have been some 40,000 U.S. personnel unfold at bases all around the Center East. And once more, they’re all on heightened alert due to the assaults from the U.S., in addition to Israel throughout – greater than per week or so. Now, at a few of these places, together with the U.S. Naval base at Bahrain, navy dependents left greater than per week in the past. And in addition, satellite tv for pc pictures have proven each U.S. plane and ships leaving so they would not be sitting geese.
Now, it is attention-grabbing to notice, as Aya identified, that the assaults on Al Udeid have been telegraphed by Iran to Qatar. So is that this merely messaging? Principally, Iran needed to reply and do one thing due to the assaults on the nuclear amenities, however this was a really restricted strike. I used to be speaking with one retired senior officer who stated, pay attention, Iran had three selections – do nothing, go in with large missile strikes or mount one thing restricted, which is what we see right here. However, Mary Louise, we’re in the midst of this proper now. Will this be it? Will extra bases be attacked? We simply do not know. It is too early.
KELLY: Yeah. So many questions nonetheless to reply. Amongst these questions, Aya, circle again to one thing you simply stated concerning the concern of drawing extra nations into the battle. Does it appear that the U.S. choice to bomb Iran could have widened the battle, inadvertently drawn Gulf Arab states that may have been completely satisfied to take a seat on the sidelines, drawn them proper into this?
BATRAWY: Sure, and that is precisely what they didn’t need to see occur. They don’t want battle or to be a part of Israel’s reshaping of the area of the Center East. And, you already know, when Qatar condemned that assault on Iran, it additionally stated in that very same assertion, they’ve lengthy been warning towards Israel’s escalations within the area, so clearly linking that with as we speak’s assault. I’ve additionally been talking with folks within the Gulf who say the leaders right here see the utility of Israel, backed by the U.S., clearly degrading Iran’s nuclear enrichment and its missile program. However this battle instantly threatens them now. They do not need to see regime change and chaos ensue in a rustic the dimensions and scope of Iran. You already know, the U.S. historical past in Iraq, Afghanistan and Israel’s ongoing battle in Gaza and the humanitarian disaster there and the disaster there – these will not be seen as successes within the Center East.
Additionally, I am right here in Dubai. You already know, this place depends on overseas funding, tourism, you already know, booming actual property markets for its survival. We noticed flights being canceled tonight by way of Dubai, the world’s busiest for worldwide transits, and suspension of air journey over not simply Qatar, but in addition Bahrain and Kuwait.
KELLY: And, you already know, what ought to we make of this Trump – from President Trump – this publish from President Trump, simply coming by way of on social media, thanking Iran, saying, thanks for giving us early discover, which made it potential for no lives to be misplaced, no one to be injured. Does the truth that Iran gave superior messaging maybe sign an assault to – an try to strike again, protect dignity, however not ratchet issues up additional?
BATRAWY: Yeah, so Trump says he hopes that, you already know, Iran, quote, “will get this out of their system” (ph) now. You already know, the factor is, this was measured by all levels. This was a measured response. You already know, I spoke with Badriyyah Alsabah (ph), a Kuwaiti tutorial and professor, simply after Iran’s assault in direction of this expansive airbase in Qatar, and he known as this a face-saving measure by Iran. Have a pay attention.
BADRIYYAH ALSABAH: My choice is to not have the Gulf in the midst of all of it, however I believe that they had – their selections have been restricted. And going after infrastructure, versus people, versus civilians’ hotspots, versus closing Hormuz – proper? – I believe that is the least damaging – very damaging nonetheless, however among the many suite of choices that they’ve, it is the least damaging.
BATRAWY: Yeah, so what he is saying right here is that this assault is damaging to Gulf relations with Iran, but it surely didn’t produce casualties, and Iran did not pull the set off of attempting to close down the Strait of Hormuz, which is that slim waterway between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, the place a fifth of the world’s oil and fuel passes by way of. And he notes the U.S. assault, whereas unprecedented and likewise extreme on Iran, was very focused. So he says, look, this might finish right here, however, additionally, the chance of miscalculation and this increasing continues to be very excessive. The area is admittedly on edge.
KELLY: Tom Bowman, decide up on that. How fearful is the U.S. about Iran making an attempt to shut the strait?
BOWMAN: Oh, there’s nice concern about that. Some 20% of the world’s oil strikes by way of the strait into the Arabian Sea. You may see Iran assault oil tankers, possibly attempt mining the strait. However at this level, Mary Louise, it is largely discuss.
KELLY: That is NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and NPR worldwide correspondent Aya Batrawy in Dubai. Because of you each.
BOWMAN: You are welcome.
BATRAWY: Thanks.
Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts could fluctuate. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its authentic broadcast or publication. The authoritative file of NPR’s programming is the audio file.
