Doha/Dubai, June 25, 2025 — Residents of Qatar and Bahrain were gripped by fear and uncertainty on Monday evening as Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike targeting the US air base at Al Udeid in Qatar, marking a sudden and alarming escalation in regional tensions.
The attack, which Iran dubbed “Operation Glad Tidings of Victory,” was a direct response to the United States’ June 22 operation “Midnight Hammer,” which struck key Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
Though Qatar’s Integrated Air Defence System successfully intercepted most of the incoming missiles, the psychological toll on the population was profound.
For many across the Gulf, the emotional whiplash of going from missile sirens to a declared ceasefire by the following morning has left lingering anxiety.
“It began with a call from my sister in Doha, urging me to switch on the news,” said Noura Hassan, a Qatari marketing betebet manager based in Dubai. “Then I was staring at videos of missiles in the sky and hearing sirens. That night felt endless.”
Hassan said she was glued to news feeds, checking on family in Doha while trying to make sense of an unfolding crisis. “Even though I’m in Dubai, my heart was still racing for Doha,” she said. “It felt like we were pulled into something bigger than us.”
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the Iranian strike, calling it a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty and asserting its right to respond proportionately. A statement released on Tuesday assured that the situation was under control, and all essential services remained uninterrupted.
In Bahrain, although no missiles landed on its territory, the atmosphere was equally tense.
“My mother told me she kept checking the windows after sirens went off,” said Omar D., a Bahraini student studying in Sharjah. “They didn’t know if it was real or just a warning. No one slept that night.”
Even residents in other Gulf countries felt the shockwaves. Faisal J., a Qatari business consultant in Abu Dhabi, described his sudden loss of security. “When I heard a US base in Qatar was hit, my first thought was, ‘What if this spreads?’ I’ve always felt safe working across borders, but that confidence just vanished.”
Dr. Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sought to calm public concerns during a televised press conference on Tuesday. “Essential goods, fuel, and water remain fully available. The movement of people and supplies has not been affected. Life has returned to 100% normalcy,” he said.
Still, the emotional impact lingers. “We slept to war and woke up to peace,” said Noura. “But trust doesn’t come instantly. We’re still here, waiting for that feeling of safety to catch up.”
As the Gulf resumes daily routines, many residents remain quietly shaken—mindful that peace, while welcome, can be as fragile as the night before.