Qatar has said Iran targeted civilian infrastructure, including its airport, in recent missile attacks, warning that such actions cannot go unanswered and confirming that Doha is not currently engaging Tehran diplomatically.
Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told CNN that Iran had struck civilian sites.
Earlier, Qatar condemned the missile attacks as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and said it retained the full right to respond.
The attacks come as Iran retaliates following coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel that began on Saturday. Qatar hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East. Iran has been targeting US allies in the region, signalling that siding with its adversaries would carry consequences.
In the past, Qatar has warned that any military escalation between Washington and Tehran would be catastrophic for the region and has urged restraint.
The US and six Gulf nations issued a joint statement condemning what they described as Iran’s indiscriminate and reckless missile and drone attacks against sovereign territories across the region. The statement was signed by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
The countries said the attacks endangered civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure, calling them a dangerous escalation that violates sovereignty and threatens regional stability. They reaffirmed their right to self-defence and commended cooperation in air and missile defence that they said prevented greater loss of life and destruction.