Explosions Reported Over Doha As Iran Fires Missiles At US Air Base
Multiple explosions that authorities blamed on Tehran rocked Doha late on June 23, hours after Qatar and the United Arab Emirates closed their airspace amid regional fears of escalation between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
"The Ministry of Defense announced that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted a missile attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base," the government said in a statement. "Thanks to God and the vigilance of the armed forces personnel and the precautionary measures taken, the incident resulted in no deaths or injuries.
"The Ministry reaffirmed that the airspace and territory of the State of Qatar are safe and that the Qatari Armed Forces are always fully prepared to deal with any threat. The Ministry of Defense also advises citizens and residents to follow official sources for directives and the latest developments.”
Iran, which confirmed it had fired several missiles at an air base in Qatar, had earlier threatened to retaliate against US strikes on its Fordow nuclear plant the day before, mentioning US air bases in the region.
Ahead of the attack on Doha, the US and UK foreign offices had issued warnings to their respective citizens against possible attacks, urging them to shelter in place out of caution.
Qatar, U.A.E. Close Airspace Amid Fears Of Iranian Reprisals
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have closed their airspace amid regional fears of Iranian reprisals.
Iranian Attack Caught By Dashcam In Israel
A missile strike by Iran was captured on film by the dash camera of a car in Israel on June 23. The strike appeared to take place near a power station in Ashdod, Israel. No fatalities were reported, but disruptions of electricity supplies were reported in some areas.
Israeli Strikes Continue Hitting Tehran
Several powerful explosions rocked the Iranian capital, Tehran, on June 23, as Israeli forces launched a new wave of precision strikes. The attacks targeted a range of military and security sites. The notorious Evin Prison and multiple buildings linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were reportedly hit. Watch here:
What Comes Next: Iran's Options After US Strikes On Its Nuclear Sites
- By Kian Sharifi
US air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have upended the already tense standoff between Tehran, Washington, and Israel, raising urgent questions about what comes next -- and just how far Iran might go in its retaliation.
Tehran faces the difficult task of crafting a response that is neither too weak to appear powerless nor too forceful to risk further escalation.
Analysts warn that Iran's options are varied, but all carry significant risks of escalation.
"Iran could retaliate in a number of ways. First, and most obvious, is the option to attack US military bases in the region, especially Iraq," said Colin Clarke, director of research at The Soufan Group.
He told RFE/RL that the Iranians could either do this on their own or through the prominent Iraq-based Shi'ite militia Kataib Hezbollah.
While targeting US bases is a threat often voiced by Iranian military figures, the risks associated with the move are not lost on the Iranian authorities. That could explain why Fars news agency, an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), on June 22 tried to suggest the US strikes were merely a distraction to goad Iran into attacking US bases and shift its attention away from Israel.
To read more, click here.
Iranian UN Mission Accuses US, Israel Of 'Destroying' Diplomacy
- By RFE/RL
Iran's mission to the United Nations says the United States and Israel have "destroyed" diplomacy with their air strikes on Iran, calling attempts to negotiate over Tehran's nuclear program "nothing more than deceitful ploy."
In a post on X on June 23, the mission also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "dragging" the United States into another war.
The post also accuses the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Israel, and Rafael Grossi, the general director of the UN nuclear watchdog, for the death of "innocent civilians."
While Israel and the United States have undertaken air strikes on Iran over its nuclear program, neither France nor the UK have been involved. Grossi is the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The mission did not specify what France, the UK, or Grossi were accused of doing.
The United States and Iran were scheduled to hold a sixth round of indirect nuclear negotiations on June 15 in Oman. Iran withdrew from the talks after Israeli jets launched air strikes on several Iranian military and nuclear sites on June 13.
Both sides have since launched daily air strikes at each other.
Grossi has appealed for all sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy, warning that if they don't, "violence and destruction could reach unthinkable levels, and the global non-proliferation regime as we know it could crumble and fall."
Verified Footage Shows Israeli Strikes On Tehran
Verified footage posted on social media shows Israel's air strike on the Iranian capital on June 23. Watch here:
NATO Chief Rutte Says Iran Must Not Develop Nuclear Bombs
- By RFE/RL
Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the 32-nation military alliance's member states "have long agreed that Iran must not develop a nuclear weapon."
"Allies have repeatedly urged Iran to meet its obligations under the nonproliferation treaty," Rutte told reporters ahead of a NATO summit in The Hague.
Rutte also pointed out that Iran is "heavily involved" in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, saying Tehran has delivered drones that Moscow’s forces are using to attack Ukraine and kill Ukrainian civilians.
"Iranian drones are killing innocent Ukrainians every day in cities, in communities without any respect for life," said Rutte.
Son Of Iran's Last Shah Calls On Ayatollah To Resign, Calls For New Government
Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of Iran's last shah, said he had volunteered to become an interim leader for the country if the current regime were to fall.
Pahlavi, 64, made the comments during a news conference in Paris on June 23 -- a day after US Air Force jets bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, plunging the entire Middle East into new uncertainty. It comes as US President Donald Trump has mused openly about trying to force out the current theocratic regime.
"We are a proud, ancient, and resilient people," Pahlavi said. "To my compatriots: This is our moment. I am with you. Let us build this new Iran together."
He also directly addressed the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling on him to resign.
"Step down. And if you do, you will receive a fair trial and due process of law. Which is more than you have ever given any Iranian," he said.
"This is our Berlin Wall moment," he said.
Pahlavi is a controversial figure among Iran's global diaspora. For some, he symbolizes the brutal dictatorship that his father led until the 1979 Islamic Revolution. For others, he is a genuine alternative to the theocratic government that has ruled since 1979.
No Specific Plans To Target Iranian Infrastructure, Says IDF
Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Ephraim Dufferin has been holding a press briefing in Tel Aviv.
After an Iranian strike on southern Israel caused a major power outage this morning and suggested Tehran was now targeting Israeli infrastructure, Dufferin was asked whether the IDF intends to respond in kind.
Radio Farda reports that he answered by saying Israel's operations will continue based on a predetermined plan and against symbols of the Iranian regime.
The Israel electricity authority announced that it had "quickly restored" power to 8,000 customers in the south of the country whose supply had been cut off.
Previously, Iranian media reported a missile had hit the Ashdod power plant in southern Israel.