Having promised a devastating response to the American bombing of three nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Iran could scarcely have let the occasion pass without any attack of its own. But its response was minimal: 14 short- and mid-range missiles were launched toward the American airbase of Al-Udeid in Qatar, the same number, Tehran explained, as the number of bombs dropped by the Americans on the three nuclear sites. Given the advanced air defenses both the Americans at the Al-Udeid airbase and the Qataris possess, only large salvos of missiles could have gotten through; a mere 14 missiles were sure to be intercepted, and they were. In addition, the Iranians warned both the Americans at Al-Udeid and the Qataris that they would be launching those missiles, making doubly sure that they would be intercepted, and none would actually hit the airbase. Tehran knows that Trump means it (or at least seemed to mean it before his curious fury on Tuesday morning) when he warned that if any Americans are hit by Iran, there will be a tremendous response from Washington. More on that pitiful attack, that Iran is hailing as a great and mighty blow, hoping its own people will believe that fantasy, can be found here: “Iran launches missiles at US military base in Qatar in retaliation for American bombing,” Associated Press, June 23, 2025:
Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites but indicating it was prepared to step back from escalating tensions in the volatile region.
The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said President Donald Trump, who dismissed the attack as a “very weak response.”
“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base as “a flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, airspace and international law. Qatar said it intercepted all but one missile, though it was not clear if that missile caused any damage.
Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.
Those comments, made immediately after the attack, suggested Iran wanted to de-escalate with the United States, something Trump himself said after the strikes early Sunday on Iran.
Qatar Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri said 19 missiles were fired at the base that is home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such wing in the world. Trump said 14 missiles were fired, 13 were knocked down and one was “set free” because it posed no threat.
Trump said Iran might be able to “now proceed to Peace and Harmony” and said he would encourage Israel to do the same.
However, Israel’s war on Iran continued, with the Israeli military expanding its campaign Monday to target sites symbolic for the country’s theocracy.
Iran, being battered, of course wants to “de-escalate” the fighting, by which it hopes to stop Israeli attacks that are continuing relentlessly, and with devastating consequences for Iran’s military. The Israelis are now hitting dozens, even hundreds, of Iranian sites each day, and the IDF says it may be able to wrap things up in a week or two.
Iran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression.”
That “mighty and successful response” by Iran resulted in not a single American casualty, and not a single hit at the airbase. Thirteen of the fourteen Iranian missiles were intercepted by Qatar’s anti-missile defenses; after determining it would not hit the base, the fourteenth missile was allowed to land harmlessly on Qatari territory.
Iraqis said they were informed by U.S. officials that missiles were launched toward the the Ain al-Assad base housing U.S. troops in western Iraq, but the missiles never arrived, an Iraqi security official who was not authorized to comment publicly told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Either those missiles fell far short of their intended target in Iraq, the Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, or they were never launched in the first place. I suspect the Iranians never intended to strike any target outside of the one in Qatar.
The Iranian answer was a pitiful pinprick, but the Iranian government is presenting it to its own people as what it called “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression.” Many of them, whose access to non-government news sites may be severely limited, will no doubt swallow that story. But not all Iranians will do so.
President Trump once again embarrassed the Iranians, when he posted on Truth Social his thanks to Iran for “such a weak response.” The comment was further humiliation of Iran, but one to which Tehran dare not, at this point, respond. Trump’s warning on Saturday, after the attacks, that any retaliation by Iran on the United States would “BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT.” That’s why the Iranians warned the Americans and Qataris in advance of the attack to be launched against the airbase in Qatar, and instead of a large salvo of missiles limited themselves to fourteen, in what was surely the smallest, and least damaging, possible response to the American attack. In Tehran, the much-reduced leadership echelon is in a panic. Some talk of removing Ali Khamenei as the Supreme Leader. Others are no doubt packing their bags, should flight from Iran suddenly become necessary. Pounded relentlessly by the IDF, the nation does not any longer know, as Confucius said, where to put its feet and hands.
rick says
Perhaps Iran should hire Tucker Carlson to be their media spokesman in charge of all press releases explaining how Iran is doing.
JS says
Yep, and just maybe Tucker can move to Iran and take along Candace Owen’s and that Smith turd, too.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Precisely!
Only thing: that regime seems close to collapsing. Should that happen, that won’t work. Maybe Tucker, Candace, Dave Smith, Posobiec & their pals can move to Qatar. As it is, Doha pays them, so they might as well use their earnings there
William Kemmler says
Tucker Carlson is still relevant? I thought he disappeared into irrelevancy and obscurity after he got canned from his Fox job. Well, live and learn I guess.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
He actually launched a podcast that is available on @X, and also on Rumble and YouTube, as well as his own website. It has some great ratings, since before all this, he was a star on the Right, due to his reporting on the BLM riots and the anti-White racism of 2020, his opposition to the sanctions against Russia in 2022 and his major highlighting of the condition of our cities, as well as the Chinese influence both here and worldwide
He got totally exposed after October 7th of 2023, when he supported Candace Owens in railing against the Israelis. I suspect that he has been bankrolled by the Qataris: nothing else explains why someone who used to rant against Saudi Arabia while he was at FNC is now suddenly a fan of a country that still supports dawa and jihad activity, from which the Saudis have been retreating. After that, he’s been acting like he’s an expert on Iran, even though he’s pretty ignorant about that country. It was funny watching him quiz Sen Cruz first about Iran’s population, and then ask him the ethnic groups. Here are some things that Tucker gets wrong:
⮞ Iran would be harder to conquer than Iraq or Afghanistan: History would beg to differ. Not only did Alexander the Great totally overrun it: it was conquered again by the Arabs, then the Mongols, then the Turks. Fun fact: only 2 of the dynasties that ruled Iran since its conquest by the Arabs have been actually Farsi – the Samanids and the Pahlavis. Every other dynasty that ruled Iran was Turkic, except for the Mongol Ilkhanate of Hulegu Khan
⮞ Iran has ethnic groups just like Iraq, who hate each other: Not quite. They didn’t hate each other under the shah. In fact, as one Iranian dissident pointed out, when there were the Masah Amini protests in Iran in 2022, the protests were there from all ethnic groups – Parsis, Kurds (which Amini herself was), Azeris and Balochs, and from Tabriz to Zahedan, and Mashhad to Abadan. That is a pretty united country
He really needs to shut up at least about the Middle East and Israel’s allies & enemies, and focus either on the US, or on his favorite countries, like Russia
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I have switched my attention now to the dissident operations in Iran. Since the gates of the Evin Prison were blown up, as well as that Doomsday clock and more regime targets by the Israelis
I was watching a speech by Reza Pahlavi, who laid out a pretty good vision for his country. He spelt out a transition plan for the government, as well as sending messages to the regime and its various tiers. It looked like a very good plan for the country, should it work out
As he pointed out, the West needs to stop throwing lifelines to the islamic regime. That includes you, President Trump: let the Israelis do whatever they’re doing to the regime instruments of power. You don’t want to do regime change, fine! But you have no business coming in the way of the Iranian people. What are you – another Obama? Biden? Clinton?
Anyway, here is the speech of the crown prince
https://youtube.com/watch?v=EvcETEWoTvg
Condor says
Crown Prince of Iran, just what the CIA ordered!
The secret police of the former Shah of Iran was called SAVAK (Sâzmân-e Ettelâ’ât va Amniyyat-e Kešvar), which translates to the Bureau for Intelligence and Security of the State. SAVAK was established during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and was known for its role in suppressing political dissent and human rights abuses. It employed surveillance, interrogation, torture, and imprisonment to silence dissent. The CIA reportedly played a role in the formation and training of SAVAK.
Iran will be a part of the War of Gog and Magog.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I get your point, but Reza Pahlavi was only 19 when his father died in Cairo, a couple of years after being overthrown. He didn’t have a political partnership w/ his dad of the type like Saddam and Qusay Hussein, or Hafez and Basil Assad. Everything he knows about Iran & politics is something he has developed in exile over the last 45 years
That said, he has stated that he’s not interested in getting back the throne, and only wants to serve in a transitional role until the people decide who they want governing them. At most, if he does become the shah, it would be a constitutional monarchy like Britain, and not the same sort of kingdom that it was under his father, who had absolute power
Also, the CIA of that era is pretty much dead, As is SAVAK. No point in harking back to that. Also, even if he does come to power, after his death, it would go to his nephews, unless a new Iranian constitution decides that one of his 3 daughters can succeed him, which wasn’t possible in Pahlavi Iran
All that said, it’s up to the people of Iran, rather than you or me, to decide what sort of a government they want to have
Westman says
The propaganda the Iran Regime is currently feeding the citizens on Iranian media is so superlative loaded about “victory” that even the children will know it is lies, composed of fantasy. Baghdad Bob has been superseded with gusto. It seems with Iran, the religious dimwits rule.
Iran is proof that 15% of the population can have complete control over the rest if sufficiently brutal and believing they have authority over life from diety. Could this be the threshold for Europe – at 15% believing Muslims expect you will be living under Islamic laws, backed by the State, or, in a civil war?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Difference though is the direction of the control. When this regime started 46 years ago, it did have widespread support, which was reinforced by the 8-year long Iran-Iraq war. Since then, its support had been dwindling, but they did have various methods of repression that they put into practice. Including importing Hizbullah militias from Lebanon & Iraq to reinforce their authority all over the country. As may Iranians have pointed out, those people don’t speak Farsi: they speak Arabic. The regime support may be at 15% now, but it has gone down to that point, not up, and is only kept alive by a total clampdown over the internet
Europe, otoh, started at zero and saw an increasing muslim population. They’d have to seize power, which they can’t do w/ just 15% of the population: it’s not exactly Syria (talking about 1970, when Hafez al Assad seized power there). Granted, they don’t have an even partially armed citizenry unlike the US (w/ the exception of Switzerland), but even their police & military would presumably know when their civil authorities have totally lost it and take the restoration of law & order into their own hands
Steven says
Infidel,what percentage of the population was registered nazi,in 1930’s germany,when that regime seized power? As far as I can recall,it was less than 15 percent! Also,your comment about the police and military knowing the civil authorities have “lost it” and take the restoration of law and order into their own hands? All very laudable BUT-look at how the police behaved during the covid lockdowns? They would have been right at home in 1930’s germany. As for the military-I have a few friends in the military and,with very few exceptions( one) all did as they were told-took their jabs and obeyed orders.Just like the nazies…….