The announcement comes amid heightened tensions across the Gulf following US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend. Iranian retaliation targeted Israel and US military bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. On Sunday, Kuwait’s air defenses mistakenly shot down three US F‑15E fighter jets; all six crew members ejected safely, the US military said.
Qatari officials reported no confirmed fatalities from the attacks, though around 16 people were injured by falling shrapnel from intercepted missiles. Damage to property and infrastructure was limited, and civil defense teams responded to fires caused by debris. Residents were urged to stay indoors and follow official safety instructions.
The government described the Iranian attacks as violations of its sovereignty. Qatar, along with other Gulf Cooperation Council states, condemned the missile and drone barrages as indiscriminate and a threat to regional stability, emphasizing the need for coordinated defence measures.
It marked the first engagement by a Gulf country with a manned Iranian aircraft since the conflict began three days ago. The escalation also prompted QatarEnergy, the state-run energy company, to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production following attacks on two of its main gas facilities.
The Ministry of Defense said one Iranian drone “targeted an energy facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City, belonging to QatarEnergy,” referring to the onshore gas processing base 80 kilometres north of Doha. Another drone “targeted a water tank belonging to a power plant in Mesaieed,” 40 kilometres south of the capital, a key site for Qatar’s natural gas production.
QatarEnergy confirmed the temporary suspension of LNG and associated product output, adding that there were no casualties reported at its facilities.
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