Qatar urges residents to stay indoors as security threat level remains high

Qatar said Friday that the security threat level is high and urged residents to remain indoors and avoid exposed areas, according to Qatar News Agency (QNA). Qatar's Interior Ministry called on the public to stay at home or other safe locations and to keep away from windows and open spaces to ensure public safety, QNA reported.

Regional alert

The entire region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

Gulf states under threat

Qatar, which hosts the Al Udeid Air Base housing US Central Command's forward headquarters, has been repeatedly targeted in Iran's retaliatory campaign. The Qatari Defense Ministry reported earlier this month that its air defenses had intercepted nine ballistic missiles and several drones in a single wave of attacks.

Ongoing threat

Iran has maintained the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since early March, with approximately 1,900 vessels stranded and global oil prices above $116 per barrel. The Iranian military has warned that any vessel transiting the strait from countries supporting the US-Israeli campaign will be targeted, while permitting passage for nations that remain neutral.