Satellite imagery has confirmed that a key U.S. communications dome at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar was struck by an Iranian ballistic missile during an attack on June 23, marking the most direct hit in the recent Iran-Israel conflict.
Images analyzed by the Associated Press show that the geodesic dome, housing advanced satellite communication systems, was visible on the morning of the attack but was missing in photos taken two days later. Burn marks and nearby structural damage were also observed.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell later acknowledged the strike, stating that it caused “minimal damage” and did not impair the base’s overall operational capability. “Al Udeid Air Base remains fully operational,” he said, praising coordination with Qatari partners in maintaining regional stability.
The strike was part of Iran’s response to U.S. airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran, which followed rising tensions during a brief 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel. The war was halted by a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Trump, Iran provided early notice of the retaliation, allowing U.S. and Qatari air defenses to prepare. He described the missile barrage—14 missiles, 13 intercepted—as a “very weak response.”
Iranian state sources, however, claimed the strike was a direct hit. A senior cleric and adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed the attack had disrupted U.S. military communications across the region.
While the U.S. has downplayed the impact, the symbolic targeting of the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command raises fresh questions about vulnerabilities in the Gulf and the evolving nature of modern warfare.
The White House has yet to comment publicly on the Pentagon’s confirmation of the damage.
