Also, a heat wave grips the eastern U.S. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.
Iran launched a wave of missiles today at the largest American military base in the Middle East. The attack — which targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where roughly 10,000 American troops were stationed — came in retaliation for U.S. strikes on three critical Iranian nuclear sites. No casualties were reported.
The Iranian missiles were intercepted by air defenses, according to both U.S. and Qatari officials. Follow along for the latest updates.
While the strike raised the possibility of continued U.S. involvement in the conflict, it also hinted that Iran might be looking for an off-ramp. Iranian officials said their government had given advance notice that the missile strike was coming, as a way to minimize potential casualties. The officials said Iran needed to be seen striking back at the U.S. for its attack over the weekend — but in a calibrated way, designed to avoid escalation.
President Trump described Iran’s attack as “very weak.” He thanked Tehran for “giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost,” and said he would now push for peace.
In other news from the conflict:
My colleagues reported the behind-the-scenes details of how Trump decided to strike Iran.
Trump declared that Iran’s nuclear program had been “totally obliterated” by the U.S. bombings. The actual state of the program was far murkier.
Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Tehran and promised more “in the coming days.” Its new attacks targeted a notorious prison and routes to a nuclear enrichment site.
Here are the latest maps of the conflict, as well as a visual explanation of how missile defense works.
