Iran Guards say attacked US base in Qatar to 'punish aggressor'

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Friday it targeted US radar systems and military aircraft at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to "punish the aggressor" following overnight US strikes on Iran.

There was no immediate confirmation from US or Qatari authorities.

Did Iran hit a US base in Qatar?

The IRGC said its Aerospace Force carried out a heavy and surprise attack on the US airbase at Al Udeid, describing the operation as retaliation for the previous night's US strikes.

It called the United States a "child-killing" military in a statement announcing the attack. The claims could not be independently verified.

What else did Iran's Revolutionary Guards target?

The IRGC also said it struck US military aircraft stationed in Jordan with ballistic missiles and drones, claiming to have destroyed several refuelling aircraft and fighter jets and inflicted serious damage on others. It called on Jordanians to target what it described as US interests in the country. Separately, the Guards said they also targeted two US radar sites in Oman and the Al-Tanf military base in Syria, though US forces said earlier this year they had withdrawn from Al-Tanf.

Jordan's military said it intercepted three Iranian missiles and reported no casualties, while Kurdish authorities in Iraq said the US-led coalition shot down several drones over Erbil. An exiled Iranian Kurdish opposition group said eight of its members were killed in strikes in Iraq's Kurdistan region, blaming Iran for the attack.

Why is the conflict between the US and Iran escalating?

The latest attacks marked a further escalation between Washington and Tehran, with both sides exchanging strikes across the Middle East despite signing a memorandum of understanding last month aimed at ending a war that began in February. Iran accused the United States of targeting civilian infrastructure overnight, including an airport, a railway station and two bridges. State media reported at least eight people killed and 20 wounded, though US officials did not immediately comment on the allegations.

Tehran had previously warned it would retaliate if its infrastructure came under attack. A senior Iranian armed forces spokesperson, quoted by state television late on Thursday, said all infrastructure across the region would become "legitimate targets" if the United States struck facilities inside Iran.

What is happening in the Strait of Hormuz conflict?

The renewed hostilities have centred on the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran and Washington exchanging fire for a sixth consecutive day. The fighting has raised concerns over the security of one of the world's most important oil and gas shipping routes. Iran's health ministry said at least 38 people had been killed and more than 400 injured since fighting resumed.

Tehran claims sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, though the waterway had remained open to commercial shipping before the latest escalation. The conflict has also disrupted commercial shipping elsewhere. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman overnight.

What did Qatar say about Iran's attacks?

Qatar and Kuwait said they were responding to missile strikes, while AFP journalists in Doha reported hearing several explosions. Iranian state media said Tehran also targeted US helicopters and aircraft at an air base in Bahrain, in response to what it described as American attacks on civilian infrastructure. Bahrain urged residents to seek shelter after air raid sirens sounded.

The United States has also reimposed its blockade of Iranian ports as part of the broader escalation. A senior Iranian military spokesperson reiterated that Tehran would not retreat over the Strait of Hormuz and called on US forces to withdraw from the region, according to state television.

Are diplomatic efforts continuing between the US and Iran?

Diplomatic efforts to restore negotiations continued as the conflict intensified. China and Pakistan's foreign ministers on Friday called on the United States and Iran to halt hostilities and resume talks, according to a statement issued after their meeting in Shanghai.

Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said any agreement to end the conflict would only be meaningful if both sides honoured its commitments. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday President Donald Trump would hold Iran accountable for violating the agreement, while adding that he remained open to diplomacy.

What triggered the latest round of Iranian strikes?

The latest strikes followed Iranian warnings that it would retaliate if the United States targeted its civilian infrastructure. Hani, a 34-year-old teacher from the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, described the overnight bombardment as very intense, saying his hands were shaking after at least 11 or 12 explosions.

Trump has warned that the United States could target Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran returned to negotiations. Iranian military officials responded by saying any such attacks would prompt strikes on infrastructure across the region.