������Ƶ

DOHA: Iran confirmed it launched missile attacks Monday on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region, state media said.

Iran launched six missiles toward Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as the sound of several explosions were heard over Doha.

The announcement was made on state television as martial music played. A caption on the screen called it “a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression.”

Qatar said it “successfully intercepted” missiles targeting the US base, and added it reserved the right to respond directly and in accordance with international law following the strikes.

It said it condemned the attack, calling it a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty.

“We express the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement.

The Gulf nation had announced earlier Monday it had closed its air space temporarily to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Also on Monday, the US embassy in Qatar had advised Americans to shelter in place, out of what it said was “an abundance of caution.”

“The White House and the Department of Defense are aware of, and closely monitoring, potential threats to Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar,” a senior White House official said.

The UAE is closely monitoring the ongoing regional developments and is continuously assessing the situation, a government spokesperson said.

“This approach froms part of the UAE's interegrated national framework for emergency and crisis management, which prioritizses public safety and the continuity of operations across all sectors,” the spokesperson added. 

UAE airspace had also been closed, according to flight path data and air traffic control audio cited by FlightRadar.

Bahrain said sirens sounded in Manama with citizens and residents urged to remain calm and head to nearest safe place, according to an Interior Ministry post on X. It also suspended air traffic temporarily on Monday.

“The Civil Aviation Affairs of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications announced the temporary suspension of air navigation in the skies of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a precautionary measure in light of recent regional developments,” said a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency.

Kuwait Airways, in a post on X, said departure flights had been suspended due to the regional developments.

DAMASCUS: Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa vowed Monday that those involved in a “heinous” suicide attack on a Damascus church would face justice, as he called for unity in the diverse, multi-faith country.

The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and wounded 63, the health ministry said.

Syria’s interior ministry said Monday that authorities had arrested several suspects in connection with the suicide attack, with the minister saying the operation targeted cells affiliated with the Daesh group.

A ministry statement reported the arrest of “a number of criminals involved in the attack” during a security operation near Damascus, while Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the operation targeted “positions of terrorist cells linked to the Daesh group.”

Daesh has not yet claimed the attack.

“We promise... that we will work night and day, mobilizing all our specialized security agencies, to capture all those who participated in and planned this heinous crime and bring them to justice,” interim President Sharaa said in a statement.

The attack follows incidents of sectarian violence in recent months, with security one of the greatest challenges for the new authorities.

The attack “reminds us of the importance of solidarity, and unity of the government and the people in facing all that threatens our nation’s security and stability,” Sharaa said.

The spokesman for Antonio Guterres said the UN Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack and expressed his “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured.

He added that Guterres said that all perpetrators of terrorism must be held accountable, and called for a full investigation.

“The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to supporting the Syrian people in their pursuit of peace, dignity, and justice,” the statement added.

The attack was the first suicide bombing in a church in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

It was also the first attack of its kind in the Syrian capital since Assad’s ouster.

A prayer service at the church is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT).

Since the new authorities took power, the international community has repeatedly urged them to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transition, particularly after the recent violence.

Interior ministry spokesman Noureddine Al-Baba said Sunday that “the security of places of worship is a red line, and all efforts will be made to ensure people’s freedom to perform their religious rites.”Daesh “aims to sow sectarian division and incite all components of Syrian society to take up arms, seeking to show that the Syrian state is unable to protect its communities and citizens,” he told a press conference.

The top cleric of Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority, Grand Mufti Osama Al-Rifai, condemned acts of violence and terrorism in a statement Monday.

“We express our complete rejection of targeting places of worship and terrorizing believers,” he said.

Foreign condemnation of the attack continued to roll in on Monday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkiye would not allow extremists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability, vowing that Turkiye would “continue to support the Syrian government’s fight against terrorism.”

Turkiye, which is close to the new authorities, has repeatedly offered its operational and military support to fight Daesh and other militant threats.

French President Emmanuel Macron also denounced the “horrible” attack, while the EU said it “stands in solidarity” with Syria in combating ethnic and religious violence.

“It is a grave reminder of the need to intensify efforts against the terrorist threat and to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh and other terrorist organizations,” spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said.

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed anger after the attack on the Greek Orthodox Church, calling on the new authorities “to take concrete measures to protect all ethnic and religious minorities.”

Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to fewer than 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.

Daesh seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014.

The militants were territorially defeated in Syria 2019 but have maintained a presence, particularly in the country’s vast desert.