Fresh explosions echoed across the Qatari capital on Thursday, witnesses told The National, as Iran continued retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and the Middle East conflict entered its sixth day.
Residents reported seeing missiles intercepted in the skies over Doha.
“It’s been going on non-stop for the past 15 minutes,” one resident said at around noon local time. "We even got a stay-at-home alert."
Qatar’s Ministry of Defence later confirmed that the country’s air defences intercepted a missile attack.
Iran began its sprawling retaliatory campaign in the Gulf on Saturday in response to US and Israeli air raids against it, which killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s attacks have targeted not only US military assets in the region but also civilian and energy infrastructure.
Most Iranian missiles have been intercepted across the Gulf, but falling debris has sparked fires and caused casualties. Drones, which can more easily evade air defences, have typically caused limited physical damage but have still disrupted trade and travel.
Ten people have been killed in countries around the Gulf since the war began, including an 11-year-old girl in Kuwait.
Earlier on Thursday, Qatar said it was evacuating residents living near the US embassy in Doha, after earlier announcing it had thwarted attacks on Hamad International Airport.
"The relevant authorities are evacuating residents living in the vicinity of the US Embassy as a temporary precautionary measure," Qatar's Interior Ministry said in a post on X. "Suitable accommodation has been provided for them as part of necessary preventive measures."
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar all said they had intercepted Iranian missiles on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia said there was an attempted attack at its biggest oil refinery at Ras Tanura, days after the plant was targeted by a drone that shut down operations.
The barrage of missiles and drones across the Middle East has put critical energy assets in the crosshairs. QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to affected buyers after halting production, following Iranian strikes on its large Ras Laffan complex.
The move formalises the suspension of cargo deliveries from the world’s largest LNG exporter. European gas prices rose by 52 per cent following the Iranian strike on Ras Laffan, marking the largest jump in price since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
'Flagrant violation'
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday, the first high-level contact since Iran began its wave of attacks in the Gulf.
During the call, Sheikh Mohammed "rejected Iranian claims that recent missile attacks were not aimed at Qatar, saying the evidence on the ground showed otherwise", the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
He condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf states and accused Tehran of seeking to “harm its neighbours and draw them into a war that is not theirs”, adding the strikes constituted a "flagrant violation" of Qatar's sovereignty.
Mr Araghchi said Iran’s missiles and drones were aimed at US interests and did not target Qatar – a claim Sheikh Mohammed rejected, according to the statement. He added that "such attacks could not go unanswered".
Residents on edge
Many residents in Qatar say daily life has been disrupted by the attacks and the uncertainty surrounding the conflict.
“Nothing feels normal here. People are scared,” said Elie, a Doha resident who requested that his last name be withheld.
“We’ve been working from home for the past few days. Loud explosions and interceptions can be heard from time to time,” he said. “I heard some people rushed to supermarkets to get essential supplies. While yesterday was relatively quiet, today has been particularly bad.”
Another Doha resident, a Lebanese woman who gave her name as Sarah, said the situation reminded her of the trauma she experienced during conflicts in Lebanon.
“At first we didn’t understand what was happening. This is unusual and unexpected here. Qatar is a very secure and safe country,” she told The National. “I bought water and food, especially since I live here alone, and filled up my car with fuel.
“It’s somewhat reassuring that most of the missiles are being intercepted and that the government alerted people to shelter in place or stay home where there is risk.”
Gulf countries have long been viewed as oases of stability in the Middle East, but there are growing fears that the expanding conflict could threaten the region’s security and prosperity.
