Two US military bases in the Middle East have reportedly activated their alert systems following an Iranian missile threat.
The Al Udeid base in Qatar and the Al Dahfra base in the United Arab Emirates went on alert on Tuesday, CNN reported. The alert call followed “intelligence indicators [which] showed an Iranian missile possibly headed that way.”
All personnel in the two bases were told to take cover but no missile struck.
Fox News reported, however, that three Iranian missiles “splashed down in waters near the bases as part of Iran’s military exercises.”
The missiles, it said, landed "close enough" to Al Dhafra and Udeid causing concern.
https://twitter.com/LucasFoxNews/status/1288150347547127808?s=20
Contacted by The National, a US defence official neither confirmed nor denied the reports. The US Central Command that overseas the area is expected to issue a statement.
On Monday, Iran deployed a mock aircraft carrier in the Gulf waters near the strait of Hormuz. The US Navy called it “irresponsible and reckless”.
"The US Navy conducts defensive exercises with our partners promoting maritime security in support of freedom of navigation; whereas, Iran conducts offensive exercises, attempting to intimidate and coerce,” a spokesperson for the Navy said in a statement.
"While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways, this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.”
More to follow..
