Stay in your homes: A warning to the Dutch in Doha
The Netherlands warned its citizens and residents in Qatar to stay indoors after hearing explosions in the sky over the capital Doha on Monday evening, around 6:35 PM. Iran claimed responsibility for a retaliatory attack targeting American bases in Iraq and Qatar, according to the official Iranian news agency Tasnim.
Qatari authorities confirmed that there were no casualties as a result of the attack, but they condemned the attack and considered it a violation of their sovereignty, threatening to retaliate. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced the launch of missiles targeting Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha, which is the main headquarters of the U.S. Central Command and the largest U.S. base in the region. Al Jazeera reported that the defense systems at the base reacted to the attack, and bright lights appeared in the sky. The defense systems at Ain al-Asad base in Iraq also launched, according to Reuters.
Just minutes before the explosions, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an urgent alert stating that Qatari authorities had temporarily closed the airspace due to a potential threat. The Dutch embassy in Doha clarified that citizens should "stay at home as much as possible," avoid crowded places, follow the news cautiously, and adhere to local authorities' instructions.
This Iranian attack came a day after a U.S. strike targeted sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which Washington said was linked to the development of Iran's nuclear program. Former U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran against retaliation, threatening consequences if any revenge occurred. Israel had launched an attack on Iran days earlier. Although Qatar confirmed the interception of the missiles, Iranian sources told the New York Times that Tehran had informed Qatar in advance to minimize losses. The sources explained that Iran sought a symbolic response to avoid greater escalation.
A spokesperson for the Dutch Foreign Ministry stated that they do not know the number of Dutch nationals present in Qatar during the attack, as it is not mandatory for them to register their locations with the ministry. Other Western countries have also issued security warnings to their citizens in Qatar.