Trump calls for peace after expected, ‘weak’ Iranian attack on US military base was thwarted

Iran fired 14 missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar on Monday, in retaliation of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.

A senior White House official told CNN the Trump administration expected an attack. “We knew they’d retaliate. They had a similar response after Soleimani,” the official said, referring to the Iranian response when the U.S. killed Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

Hours after the attack, Trump called the Iranian response “very weak” and “very effectively countered.”

“Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered,” the president wrote. “There have been 14 missiles fired – 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done.”

Iran called the attack “a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression” on state television, AP reports, adding Qatar had just closed its airspace amid threats from Iran.

The New York Times reports the attacks were telegraphed and a symbolic retaliation, citing three Iranian officials. The U.S. had “good advance warning” of the Iranian attack, a source familiar with the matter told Axios, which Trump confirmed his social media post on the matter.

“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured,” the president wrote. “Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.”

In a follow-up post, Trump wrote, “CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!”

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense released a statement affirming the missiles were successfully shot down: “We reassure that Qatar’s air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles,” the statement said, according to the AP.

Axios reports Trump was at the White House meeting with his national security team during the attack.