Qatar has announced it was reopening its airspace, after closing it on Monday in anticipation of Iran’s retaliatory attack on US military bases in the region.
Following Iran’s warning of imminent strikes, Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution until further notice. On Monday, Iran launched an attack on the Al Udeid Air Base near Doha, which houses approximately 8,000 US troops and serves as the headquarters for US Central Command’s Middle East operations. According to reports, nine out of ten missiles were intercepted, and the tenth landed in an uninhabited area. The attack caused no casualties. Warnings had been issued in advance to the US, prompting shelter-in-place orders for American personnel and citizens present in the country. The UK government also advised its nationals to take shelter.
Qatar airspace is now open and flights are landing at Doha. https://t.co/LSzIe2auYa pic.twitter.com/UImdMec8cR
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) June 23, 2025
Footage of missiles being intercepted by Qatari air defence systems was captured by a passenger aboard a plane that had been en route to Qatar but was diverted to Dammam, Saudi Arabia. In the immediate aftermath, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, where air raid sirens were also triggered, closed their airspace to air traffic.
❗ Footage of missiles taken allegedly from onboard a Qatar Airways flight. pic.twitter.com/EaEaMGtdWR
— M Geopolitics (@tmgeopolitics) June 23, 2025
Iran’s attack came in response to US strikes against six nuclear facilities in Iran. Tehran stated that the operation was a direct warning to the United States, pledging that ‘no attack on its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and national security would go unanswered’. Qatar airspace reopens after Iranian attack on US forces.
Qatar strongly condemned the missile strike on its soil, calling it a ‘dangerous escalation’ and ‘violation of its sovereignty’.
By Tuesday morning, US President Donald Trump announced what he described as a fully agreed ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Iran, however, denied that a ceasefire had been negotiated.
Soon after Trump’s announcement, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain said they would reopen their airspace. Qatar Airways issued a statement confirming the ‘reinstatement of flights following the reopening of airspace in the State of Qatar’.
Qatar Airways confirms reinstatement of flights as airspace reopens in the State of Qatar.
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) June 23, 2025
Our focus at this time is to help our passengers return home or reach their onward journey safely and smoothly.
We’ve deployed extra ground staff at Hamad International Airport to support…
Hamad International Airport, a major global hub serving 90 countries and the base for Qatar Airways, resumed operations. The airline said: “Our focus at this time is to help our passengers return home or reach their onward journey safely and smoothly. We are working tirelessly with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to restore operations as quickly as possible.” Qatar Airways added that extra ground staff had been deployed to assist affected passengers, although significant delays were still expected.
Hamad International Airport’s operations are gradually recovering and returning to normal.
— Hamad Int'l Airport (@HIAQatar) June 24, 2025
During this transition, we apologize for any inconvenience caused by the rescheduling of affected flights, and appreciate our passengers understanding and patience.
We advise our passengers…
Before the airspace closure, several international airlines – including Singapore Airlines, Air France, British Airways, and Finnair – had announced the suspension of flights to Doha and Dubai following the initial US strikes on Iran.
The situation remains highly volatile across the region. Travellers are advised to check their flight status with their airline or travel agent before making any plans.
