Amid heightened Mideast instability, Qatar assures public of stable security despite advisories from U.S. and UK embassies.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar on Monday advised American citizens to “shelter in place until further notice” as Qatar temporarily closed its airspace following weekend attacks on Iran. The measure was taken “out of an abundance of caution,” the embassy stated, without providing further details.
Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed the temporary suspension of air traffic, citing the need “to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors.”
The ministry assured the public of the country’s stable security situation and pledged to provide updates as developments unfold, with a spokesperson clarifying that embassy advisories “do not reflect the existence of specific threats.”
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The move comes after the U.S. launched B-2 bomber strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, prompting Iran to vow retaliation against the U.S. and its interests. The U.S. State Department had previously issued a worldwide caution for American travelers, warning of “the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.”
Qatar hosts approximately 10,000 U.S. soldiers at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East.
The United Kingdom’s embassy in Qatar issued a similar warning to its citizens. The broader Middle East currently hosts some 40,000 U.S. troops.
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While Iran is expected to retaliate, reports indicate that Israeli strikes have significantly depleted Iran’s missile capabilities.
Meanwhile, the U.S. homeland remains under a “heightened threat environment,” with concerns of “low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists” and potential attacks by Iranian government-affiliated cyber actors.
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