Canada cautions citizens in Qatar after Iranian missile attack on U.S. base

People enjoy the skyline of Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Canada is urging citizens in Qatar to “exercise a high degree of caution” after Iranian missiles targeted a U.S. base in the country.

“You should shelter in place when air raid sirens are active,” reads the notice from Global Affairs Canada. “There could be military debris falling in various locations.”

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The U.S. embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place recommendation earlier Monday before Iran launched the retaliatory missile attack.

“The security situation in the region could deteriorate significantly without notice,” Global Affairs Canada warned.

Qatar, a country located across the Persian Gulf from Iran, is home to the Al Udeid Air Base – the largest U.S. military base in the Mideast. The base houses approximately 10,000 U.S. troops and was the intended target of the Iranian attack. Qatar temporarily closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats of Iranian retaliation, the foreign ministry said. Qatar condemned the attack and claimed it intercepted all of the Iranian missiles, which did not cause any deaths or injuries.

The Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, which houses U.S. troops, was also targeted on Monday although Iran has not claimed credit.

The U.S. struck three nuclear sites in Iran over the weekend, wading into a renewed conflict between the latter and Israel, which also struck Iranian structures on Monday.

Trump said Saturday on Truth Social that any retaliation by Iran would be met with “force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”

The U.K. is also advising citizens in Qatar to shelter in place until further notice.

Earlier Monday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that travel advisories from other countries “do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific threats.”

Global Affairs Canada’s online travel advisory for Qatar is urging Canadians to “stay informed of the rapidly evolving situation” and “follow the instructions of local authorities at all times, including any orders to shelter in place.”

With files from The Associated Press.