{"id":1409,"date":"2026-03-04T19:01:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/?p=1409"},"modified":"2026-03-04T19:01:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:01:38","slug":"iran-missile-strikes-at-us-base-in-qatar-a-simple-task-for-air-defences-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/?p=1409","title":{"rendered":"Iran missile strikes at US base in Qatar a \u2018simple task\u2019 for air defences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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All of a sudden, there were loud booms and the windows started shaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mehran Kamrava, a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar\u2019s capital, Doha, knew what he was supposed to do, but did the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhich was rush outside and look up in the sky,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI saw these flying lights, and the night sky was not like anything I had seen before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

retaliated against the US bombing three critical nuclear sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran said it was aiming for Al Udeid, the largest US military air base in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Udeid Air Base hosts the US Central Command headquarters and is home to more than 11,000 US and Coalition service members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is spread across 24 hectares in the desert, just outside Qatar\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The base is close enough for Doha residents to witness the flashes in the sky, as the country\u2019s air defences intercepted the wave of ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI live about 30km (from the base) \u2026 So, it\u2019s not that far,\u201d Professor Kamrava told ABC Radio National.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran\u2019s National Security Council said it targeted the base \u201cin response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran\u2019s nuclear sites and facilities\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its statement, the council said 14 missiles were launched, \u201cthe same as the number of bombs that the US had used\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A US defence official said no one was hurt in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran gave advance notice to the US and Qatari authorities hours ahead of the strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qatar, which lies 190km south of Iran, said its \u201cair defences successfully intercepted the missile attack\u201d.Play video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has Video Duration: 1 minute 4 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch 1m 4s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump wrote that 13 missiles were intercepted and one missile was \u201cset free\u201d because it was not deemed a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US officials said medium-range ballistic missiles were used in the strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were intercepted by US and Qatari Patriot air defence batteries, US Central Command said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE are protected by the US-developed Patriot missile batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Patriot is a long-range missile defence system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each Patriot battery consists of a truck-mounted launching system, a ground radar, a control station and a generator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have eight launchers that can typically hold up to four missile interceptors each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The portable batteries can protect an area of up to 100km, and are commonly used to defend military sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dougal Robertson from defence firm Felix Advisory, who is a former intelligence officer for the Royal Australian Air Force, said Patriots were made to take out missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of missiles launched by Iran would have been \u201cpretty easy\u201d for the system to defend against.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn this instance, it was a really relatively simple task for the Patriot,\u201d he told the ABC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause of the low number of weapons, even if there had been no notice, the US would\u2019ve been able to detect them quite quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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System made to \u2018hit to kill\u2019 ballistic missiles <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, Iran was believed to have the largest and most diverse ballistic missile stockpile in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel said the goal of its strikes on Iran was to dismantle the country\u2019s nuclear program and ballistic missile stockpile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ballistic missiles travel at high speeds, soaring to high altitudes before taking a deep and fast dive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This trajectory \u2014 going beyond the atmosphere before plummeting down to Earth \u2014 can make the missiles particularly difficult to intercept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Videos circulating online appear to show the remains of a Patriot PAC-3 missile following the defence against the Iranian attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Robertson said the Patriot PAC-3 was an advanced capability missile with greater guidance accuracy to directly hit ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It uses a \u201chit to kill intercept\u201d, striking the target at high altitudes and destroying it with kinetic energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGenerally, ballistic missiles are coming in at several times the speed of sound \u2014 sometimes up to about mach five \u2014 so you don\u2019t want to miss,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to hit the target directly, it reduces the probability of missing the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGenerally, between two and three patriot missiles will be fired to ensure they hit a target.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qatar also has the US Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The THAAD was specifically designed for ballistic missile defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bases prepared for attacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

US bases in the region have been on high alert and taking precautions since the conflict between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And after the US strikes on Iran\u2019s nuclear sites over the weekend, Tehran warned that American assets in the region were \u201clegitimate targets\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US officials told Reuters that aircraft not in hardened shelters had been moved from Al Udeid base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And naval vessels had been moved from a port in Bahrain, where the military\u2019s 5th fleet is located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Robertson said the US had an integrated system of defence across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Iran attempted further strikes on US bases, it would be put into action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt involves ships in the Persian Gulf. It involves airborne assets. It involves land-based radar,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, they know where the threat is coming from, and roughly the direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n