Qatari Jets Down Iranian Bombers Near US Military Base in Doha Amid Regional Tensions

On Monday, two Iranian Su-24 bombers approached al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar—the largest US military base in the Middle East housing about 10,000 troops—and the nearby Ras Laffan natural gas facility. Flying at 80 feet to evade radar, the bombers were detected and classified as hostile after ignoring Qatari warnings. Qatar dispatched fighter jets, including an F-15, which engaged and downed the Iranian planes near Qatari territorial waters amid ongoing regional tensions following US-Israel strikes on Iran.