Trump downplays Iran's missile strikes on US bases in Iraq and Qatar, calls response 'very weak'
Editor's note: This story is being updated.
Iran launched multiple missiles at U.S. military bases in the Middle East, targeting sites in Qatar and Iraq, a day after the U.S. conducted air strikes on nuclear sites in Iran.
At least 10 missiles were reportedly fired at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and at least one toward a base in Iraq, Axios reported, citing an Israeli source.
The U.S. Defense Department confirmed that Iran launched several short- and medium-range missiles at Al Udeid Air Base, the New York Times reported. According to the Pentagon, there have been no reports of American casualties.
President Donald Trump downplayed Iran's response to the recent U.S. strike on its nuclear facilities, describing Tehran’s retaliation as limited and largely ineffective. "There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was 'set free,' because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social. He emphasized that no Americans were harmed and that the damage was minimal.
Trump went on to say, "Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE." Ending on a conciliatory note, Trump added that he would "enthusiastically encourage Israel" to pursue peace in the region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X that his country "neither initiated the war nor wanted it, but we will not leave the aggression against the great Iran unanswered."
Iran's targeting of U.S. assets marks a dangerous widening of the conflict, raising fears of further destabilization in the region.
The missile strikes come in response to the June 21 U.S. air campaign that targeted three nuclear facilities in Iran — Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan — as Washington joined Israel's military operation against Tehran's nuclear program.
The escalation follows Israel's June 13 attack that prompted Iran to retaliate with missile attacks on Tel Aviv and other cities, killing multiple civilians, including five Ukrainian citizens.
Iran is a key supplier of weapons to Russia, including Shahed-type drones and ballistic missiles used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Israel, which hosts a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.
On June 13, Kyiv expressed concern over the security situation in the Middle East, describing Tehran as a "source of problems" in the region and beyond.
Lucy Pakhnyuk
