Doha - Qatar's foreign ministry on Tuesday said that any Iranian targets are not limited to military facilities but include Qatari territory as a whole, as diplomatic tensions between the two countries intensified.
The ministry's spokesperson reported that Qatar had not been given prior warning by Iran of incoming missile attacks and that there is currently no line of communication between the two states.
According to the spokesperson, Iranian aircraft that were shot down on Sunday had violated Qatari airspace and were given warnings. After Qatari authorities determined the jets were headed toward Doha, they engaged the aircraft and subsequently began searching for the downed crews.
The spokesperson also addressed Qatar's defensive posture, saying the nation's inventory of interception missiles is intact and sufficient to respond to continuing threats.
Efforts to strike Hamad International Airport were attempted but did not succeed, the spokesperson added. The disruptions have left more than 8,000 people stranded in transit; Qatar has arranged hotel accommodations for those travelers until the situation stabilizes. In addition, the spokesperson said a number of individuals who had been stranded on cruise ships have been brought to safety.
When questioned about the presence of Mossad cells, the spokesperson indicated that Qatar does not currently possess information confirming such activities.
The spokesperson also rejected assertions that applying pressure on Gulf states would prompt a return to negotiations, labeling those claims as false.
Context and immediate developments
Qatar's account outlines a series of security incidents and responses: airspace incursions by Iranian jets that were warned and then targeted, unsuccessful attacks on a major airport, disruptions to civilian transit flows, and statements about defensive readiness and diplomatic silence with Iran.
Humanitarian and logistical response
More than 8,000 travelers remain stranded in transit and are being housed in hotels by Qatari authorities until the crisis ends. The statement also notes that people stranded on cruise ships have been secured.
Official stance on intelligence claims
On the topic of foreign intelligence operations, the spokesperson said Qatar has no current information about Mossad cells on its territory. Doha also dismissed the idea that pressuring Gulf countries would bring Iran back to negotiations.