Qatar says Iran 'must pay a price' for attacks
Qatari forces intercept missiles and drones as officials warn the attacks “cannot go unanswered”.
Qatar said Iran “must pay a price” for strikes targeting the Gulf state, warning that attacks on its territory and people cannot go unanswered as tensions escalate across the region.
In an interview with CNN on Monday, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majid al-Ansari said Iran’s attacks on Qatar were “blatant” and stressed that Doha reserves the right to retaliate.
“An attack like this cannot be left without retaliation,” al-Ansari said, adding that Iranian strikes targeting Qatar “cannot go unanswered”.
According to the foreign ministry, intercepted Iranian attacks targeted civilian infrastructure, including Qatar’s international airport, as well as other commercial facilities.
Al-Ansari said Qatar had faced more than 100 missiles and scores of drones, with some projectiles aimed at civilian and commercial infrastructure.
Intercepting drones and projectiles
Qatar’s air defences and fighter jets intercepted several drones and other incoming projectiles as authorities moved to protect key facilities and infrastructure.
The spokesperson said Doha was currently focused on defending the country and protecting vital economic and energy infrastructure rather than engaging diplomatically with Tehran.
“As of this moment, we are not engaging with the government. We are busy, as you might imagine, defending our country,” he told CNN’s Becky Anderson.
Al-Ansari also warned of the risks posed by attacks on non-military targets across the Gulf region, saying Qatar was “gravely concerned” about strikes on civilian infrastructure.
He added that Qatar’s military had taken precautions to protect onshore and offshore economic facilities, while Gulf leaders continued to coordinate closely with one another and with the United States.