Qatari fighter jets engaged and shot down two Iranian tactical bombers Monday morning as they closed in on the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East.
DOHA – The incident marks the first time the Qatari Air Force has engaged in air-to-air combat and signifies a dangerous shift in the conflict following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last Saturday.
A High-Stakes Interception
According to sources briefed on the operation, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard dispatched two Soviet-era Su-24 tactical bombers toward high-value targets in Qatar. The jets were reportedly “two minutes” away from:
- Al-Udeid Air Base: A strategic hub housing roughly 10,000 U.S. service members.
- Ras Laffan: A critical natural gas facility vital to the Qatari and global energy economy.
To evade detection, the Iranian pilots flew at an altitude of just 80 feet. Despite these “stealth” tactics, Qatari F-15s intercepted the craft. After the Iranian pilots ignored radio warnings, the aircraft—visually confirmed to be carrying live bombs and guided munitions—were classified as hostile and engaged.
“Escalatory” Ambitions
The Iranian bombers crashed into Qatari territorial waters, and a search is currently underway for the crews. This mission is particularly notable as it marks Iran’s first use of manned aircraft to strike a neighbor since the U.S. and Israeli strikes that devastated Khamenei’s compound in Tehran.
