- Two Iranian Su-24 bombers were shot down by Qatari jets before striking targets in Qatar
- The bombers targeted Al Udeid Air Base and Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar
- Qatari F-15 jets engaged in their first air-to-air combat by intercepting the Iranian planes
Two Iranian Su-24 tactical bombers were shot down by Qatari fighter jets on Monday "two minutes" before they were to strike key targets in Qatar, according to a report.
The aircraft were allegedly headed towards the Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts around 10,000 US troops, and Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world's largest gas processing hubs.
The Iranian aircraft were flying very low, around 80 feet, so that radar systems would have difficulty detecting them. They were carrying bombs and guided weapons, CNN reported.
Defence forces also sent radio warnings, but the jets did not respond to them and were declared "hostile" by Qatar's military, according to the report.
A Qatari F-15 fighter jet intercepted the aircraft and shot them down in an air-to-air battle, marking Qatar's first air-to-air combat. It was unusual for Iran to launch an attack using manned warplanes, when in recent years, it has more commonly used missiles or drones in military operations, authorities noted.
"Qatari fighters for the first time have shot down two Iranian bombers on route to their location," said US Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told CNN, "The Iranian planes crashed into Qatar's territorial waters. A search is underway for the crews."
Qatar's Defence Ministry urged citizens to stay calm and adhere to guidelines, adding, "Qatar Armed Forces possess full capabilities and resources, with God's will, to safeguard the state's sovereignty and territory, and to respond firmly to any external threat," according to The Jerusalem Post.
Since the US-Israel joint attack on Tehran and multiple other cities, Iran has launched over 400 ballistic missiles and over 1,000 drones towards several Arab countries in the Gulf. Many of these attacks targeted military assets of the United States, energy facilities, airports, and hotels.
Most of the missiles and drones were successfully intercepted by air defence systems. However, one Iranian projectile managed to get through the air defences and struck a temporary military operations centre at Shuaiba Port, killing six US service members.
