Two Russian Su-24 aircraft fly over a U.S. Navy ship near Rota, Spain, on April 12, 2016. Two such aircraft operated by Iranian forces were headed toward Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, but were downed by Qatari F-15s, according to CNN. (U.S. Navy)
Iranian fighter planes flying less than 100 feet above ground came within minutes of hitting the U.S. military’s largest base in the Middle East, CNN reported this week.
The incident, which happened Monday morning, involved two Russian-made Su-24 bombers that were headed toward Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Several thousand U.S. troops operate out of Al Udeid, making it the main hub for U.S. operations in the region.
The Iranian planes, carrying bombs and guided munitions, were “two minutes” away from their target when Qatari fighter pilots engaged them in aerial combat, unidentified sources told CNN.
Qatar dispatched American-made F-15 fighters, which were able to down the Iranian planes.
During a news briefing Wednesday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine confirmed the encounter without getting into specifics of the operation.
Two Qatari air force F-15s fly in formation over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on Jan. 21, 2025. Two low-flying Iranian bombers that were headed for Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, were downed by F-15 pilots on March 2, 2026, according to CNN. (Gerald Willis/U.S. Air Force)
“Qatari fighters for the first time have shot down two Iranian bombers that were en route to their location,” Caine told reporters.
The Iranian pilots were flying at an altitude of 80 feet to evade radar, CNN reported, adding that the planes crashed into Qatari waters.
The U.S. Air Force has spent years training and coordinating with Qatari counterparts. In October, the U.S. also announced it would allow Qatar to build a facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, which will serve as a training location for Qatari F-15 pilots.
Since the start of the joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran this past weekend, countries in the region have been repeatedly targeted by Iranian missiles and drones.
So far, U.S. partners have mainly restricted their military involvement to ground-based air defense missions aimed at shooting down incoming fire. It’s not clear whether Middle East countries could take the next step and actively join the campaign.
Countries such as Qatar have said they reserve the right to respond to attacks but thus far have refrained from missions inside Iran.
Monday’s dogfight between Qatari and Iranian fighters, however, represents a rare direct military encounter between the two countries.
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