According to the Qatari foreign ministry, Qatar has temporarily closed its airspace as part of precautionary measures responding to developments in the Middle East.
The ministry stated in a social media post that the measure aims to ensure the safety of “citizens, residents and visitors.”
Earlier, the US embassy in Qatar emailed US citizens urging them to shelter in place until further notice. This triggered similar advisories to employees and students from various Doha-based institutions, even as Qatar affirmed the situation was stable.
Subsequently, the British government issued a similar warning to UK citizens in the country.
These recommendations follow renewed threats from Iran to retaliate against the United States following strikes on its nuclear facilities.
The US and British advisories emphasized that the shelter-in-place recommendation was issued “out of an abundance of caution” and provided no further details.
Two US officials separately told that Iran might soon launch attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East, with one source suggesting the attacks could occur within the next day or two.
In response to the US embassy’s advisory, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari stated that the security situation in Qatar remained stable and that the embassy’s message did not indicate any specific threat.
Al Ansari assured that Qatar is prepared to take all necessary steps to guarantee the safety of its citizens and residents.
Qatar is home to Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command and hosts approximately 10,000 troops.
Residents in Qatar experienced confusion on Monday afternoon due to conflicting messages from Qatari authorities and the US embassy.
American university campuses in Qatar offered varying advice to their staff and students. Texas A&M University reportedly ordered an evacuation of their building, Northwestern University requested people return home, and Georgetown University suggested people could go home if they wished.
The American School, currently not in session, closed its campus and cancelled summer camps until further notice.
