Qatar closes its airspace amid Iranian retaliation threats against US

Qatar said it has shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken amid developments in the region, a statement by the Qatari foreign ministry said on X. It said the move comes to ensure safety of residents and visitors.

The shutdown of Qatari airspace comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites.

Meanwhile, some Western embassies advised their citizens there to shelter in place after Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites.

Qatar is home to the United States' largest military base in the region, Al Udeid.

 Earlier, the US embassy in Doha advised Americans there not to go out, with other Western embassies echoing the warning.

"Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice," the US embassy said on its website.

Britain and Canada later cited the US security alert in their own recommendations to nationals.

Iran's armed forces threatened on Monday to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the US after it joined its ally Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic, carrying out heavy strikes on three nuclear sites.

In Bahrain, a close neighbour of Qatar, that hosts the US Fifth Fleet, the American embassy "temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework," it said on X.

Bahraini authorities had already told most government employees to work from home until further notice, citing "regional circumstances."

Following the US warning in Doha, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said such statements by foreign embassies "do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific or credible threats". "We would like to reassure the public that the security situation in the state remains stable," he wrote on X.

Bahraini authorities had already told most government employees to work from home until further notice, citing "regional circumstances".

Following the US warning in Doha, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said such statements by foreign embassies "do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific or credible threats".

On Sunday, the US State Department advised Americans worldwide to "exercise increased caution" because of the war between Israel and Iran.

After Israel's first strikes on Iran on June 13, the US embassy in Qatar had told its staff and other Americans to exercise caution and "limit non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base."

 Agencies