On June 23, 2025, Iran launched missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar in response to earlier U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which the U.S. called “Operation Midnight Hammer.” Iran’s military, the IRGC, named its response “Blessings of Victory.”

Before the attack, Iran warned Qatar and gave advance notice to U.S. forces, which helped prevent casualties. Qatar activated its air defense systems and closed its airspace. While Iran claimed some of its missiles hit the base, Qatari officials said all were intercepted and there were no injuries.

The attack caused major flight disruptions across the Gulf region. Qatar Airways suspended all flights for a time. Qatar strongly condemned Iran’s actions, saying they violated its sovereignty. Iran, on the other hand, said the attack was carefully planned to avoid serious damage, sending more of a warning than starting a war.

U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the attack, calling it “very weak,” and thanked Iran for the warning. He said the U.S. does not plan to strike back and prefers peace.

This is only the second time Iran has directly targeted U.S. forces — the first being in 2020 after the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. It shows a continued pattern of both sides trying to respond without triggering a full-scale war.