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Qatar closes airspace as UK and US tell citizens to shelter in place Qatar reopens airspace after Iran's attack on US base near Doha
(about 7 hours later)
Doha's Hamad airport is one of the world's busiest transit hubsDoha's Hamad airport is one of the world's busiest transit hubs
Qatar has temporarily closed its airspace after the US and the UK told their citizens in the country to shelter in place "until further notice". Qatar has reopened its airspace after closing it earlier on Monday in anticipation of retaliatory attacks by Iran on a US air base near Doha.
The US embassy in Qatar suggested in a notice online that Americans do so "out of an abundance of caution". The UK government said it was issuing its warning in response to the US alert. Iran launched missiles at al-Udeid air base on Monday evening. Both Qatari and US officials said nearly all were intercepted and their were no casualties or injuries.
The warnings come after the State Department told US citizens in international locations to "exercise increased caution," after the US bombed three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday. Iran has threatened to retaliate. Prior to Iran's attack, the US embassy in Qatar had urged American citizens to shelter-in-place "out of an abundance of caution". That order has since been lifted, with the embassy saying operations will resume as normal on Tuesday.
The BBC understands that there is "a credible threat" to the US-run Coalition Air Operations Centre at Al-Udaid in Qatar. Monday's attack by Tehran comes two days after the US launched massive strikes against three nuclear facilities inside Iran.
In a statement, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the closure of its airspace was to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Shortly after midnight on Tuesday local time, Qatari officials announced that air travel in the country could resume as normal.
In a separate statement in response to the embassy notice, the foreign ministry said the warning did "not necessarily reflect the existence of specific threats". Earlier on Monday, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was closing its airspace to ensure the safety of residents and visitors, without offering further details.
"The security situation in the country is stable," the statement said, adding that "the relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors". Around the same time, the US embassy in Qatar suggested in a notice online that Americans should shelter in place "until further notice". The UK government issued a similar warning to its citizens in Qatar, saying it was doing so in response to the US alert.
Qatar is home to the largest US military base in the Middle East, Al Udeid Air Base. About 8,000 US citizens live there, according to the State Department. The warnings came ahead of a missile attack by Iran on al-Udeid Air Base, which serves as the headquarters for US Central Command's air operations in the Middle East and hosts nearly 8,000 US troops, according to the State Department.
It is also home to US CENTCOM's headquarters for all its air operations in the Middle East, where British military personnel also serve on rotation. Video shows air defences over Qatar as Iran attacks US base
Iran said the attacks were meant to send a "clear and explicit" message to the US, and that it "will not leave any attack on its territorial integrity, sovereignty and national security unanswered".
In response, Qatar said it "strongly condemns" the strike. It added that the attack was "successfully thwarted" by Qatari air defence systems.
US President Donald Trump called Iran's response "very weak" and thanked Iranian officials for giving the Americans "early notice" of their attack.
Hours later, he announced Iran and Israel had come to a ceasefire deal that could bring an end to the war. Both countries have yet to confirm a ceasefire has been reached.
Trump said the agreement was a "total and complete" ceasefire and dubbed the conflict the "12 Day War".
"This is a war that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will!" Trump said in a social media post.
Earlier, other countries in the region, including Bahrain and Kuwait, had temporarily closed their airspaces out of precaution.
The US has about 40,000 troops stationed in the Middle East.The US has about 40,000 troops stationed in the Middle East.
Flight tracking websites show planes diverting to other airports following the closure of Qatari airspace. According to Flightradar24, there are 100 flights bound for Doha. Flight tracking websites showed planes diverting to other airports following the closure of Qatari airspace, including one from London bound for Doha that was diverted back to Heathrow airport.
Hamad International Airport is one of the world's top 10 busiest airports on international traffic with around 140,000 passengers passing through per day.Hamad International Airport is one of the world's top 10 busiest airports on international traffic with around 140,000 passengers passing through per day.
Advice for British nationals in Qatar may be updated "over the course of the next few days", the Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said.
He told Parliament: "This is an ongoing and fast-moving situation." He added that the government would keep advice "under close review and there may need to be further updates over the course of the next few days".
The message from the US Embassy was followed by warnings from other groups in Qatar, including several universities that asked students to go home.
Bilateral relations between the US and Qatar are "strong", according to the State Department, which says Qatar has helped play a financial, political and military role in dealing with turmoil in the region.Bilateral relations between the US and Qatar are "strong", according to the State Department, which says Qatar has helped play a financial, political and military role in dealing with turmoil in the region.
Are you in Qatar and have been told to shelter in place? Please get in touch here.Are you in Qatar and have been told to shelter in place? Please get in touch here.
You can also get in touch in the following ways:You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Email: bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.ukEmail: bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803