Flying at only 80 feet altitude, Iranian planes almost hit largest American air base in Middle East: Report

After Israel and the United States jointly carried out air strikes on Iran and Killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran launched counter attacks on US bases in the Middle East. In one such attack Iranian bombers reportedly came within minutes of striking the US military base - largest base housing US troops - in Qatar, before it was shot down.

Aal-Udeid Air Base that houses about 10,000 US service members, and Ras Laffan, a key natural gas processing facility and a bedrock of the Qatari economy faced attack threats after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard dispatched two Soviet-era Su-24 tactical bombers to hit them on Monday, reported CNN, citing sources.

According to one of the source, Iranian jets were “two minutes” away from their targets. The planes were visually identified and photographed “carrying bombs and guided munitions," said the second.

Jets were flying at only 80 feet altitude

To evade radar detection the jets were flying at an altitude of a mere 80 feet. However, after being detected, the Qataris issued a warning over radio but received no response from the jets.

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Due to “time constraints” and “based on the available evidence,” the aircraft were “classified as hostile,” reported CNN, citing the second source. Immediately warplanes were dispatched, and a Qatari F-15 fighter engaged the Iranian jets in “aerial combat” before downing them, the source added.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari while addressing the media on Tuesday said that the Iranian planes crashed into Qatar’s territorial waters and a search operation was underway for the crews.