Kathmandu – Iran has delivered on its promise to retaliate against the U.S. following Saturday’s airstrikes on its nuclear facilities by launching missiles at the U.S.-operated Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Early reports indicate that all Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted by Qatar’s air defense system, with no American casualties or significant damage reported.
Despite the limited physical impact, Iranian officials have made it clear that this attack does not mark the end of their retaliation. According to U.S. media outlets, Tehran views this strike as just one step in an ongoing response, implying that further actions may follow.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, posting on Truth Social, claimed that “all sides have agreed to a ceasefire” and expressed hope that this would lead to the formal end of hostilities. He described the conflict as the “12-Day War” and insisted that the region had narrowly avoided a prolonged and destructive war. However, Iran has publicly denied any such agreement, and Israel has yet to issue a comment.
Trump stated that the war could have lasted for years and devastated the entire Middle East but praised the current outcome, saying, “It didn’t—and it never will.”
The conflict was sparked on June 13 when Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities to halt what it described as Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. In response, Iran launched missile strikes on Tel Aviv. The U.S., siding firmly with Israel, then bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran answered with strikes against U.S. bases across the Middle East, including the Al Udeid base.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared on Twitter that “the war was initiated by Israel, not Iran,” and insisted no ceasefire has been agreed upon. He added that if Israel halts its military actions by 4 a.m. Tehran time, Iran would reconsider further retaliation. Until then, decisions on stopping military operations remain pending.
In a national address Saturday night, Trump warned that any Iranian attack on U.S. interests would be met with force and left open the possibility of targeting additional sites.
The world waited over 24 hours to see Iran’s response. After the missile launch, attention quickly shifted back to Trump, who minimized Iran’s attack as a “very weak” response, claiming it had been expected and effectively neutralized.
He further expressed hope that Iran had “let out its anger” and could now pursue peace. Trump’s tone suggested that he might avoid further escalation if the damage remains minimal and no additional Iranian strikes occur.
Observers recall a similar episode in January 2020 when Trump ordered the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. Iran responded by firing missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq, injuring over 100 American soldiers. Still, both sides eventually showed restraint and stepped back from the brink of full-scale war.
According to U.S. media, Monday’s Iranian missile strikes roughly matched the intensity of American airstrikes over the weekend. Reports also suggest that Iran informed the Qatari government ahead of the attack, a gesture for which Trump thanked Iran, hinting that Tehran may be seeking to avoid escalation.
Throughout the day, Trump’s attention was divided between oil market movements, media narratives, and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s warning that foreign powers might supply Iran with nuclear weapons.
Late Monday night, aboard Air Force One returning from the G7 Summit in Canada, Trump told reporters, “The U.S. military is ready for any Iranian threat. We have great people who know how to defend.” He emphasized that U.S. forces are on high alert.
Should Iran launch another attack that causes American casualties or major damage, pressure will mount on Trump to retaliate forcefully. U.S. officials have stated clearly: unlike past presidents, Trump is likely to act on his warnings.
Yet some of his allies fear that such a move could draw America into a long and costly conflict. For now, Iran appears to be offering a path to de-escalation, and Trump seems willing to follow it.
