Was Iran’s attack on US base in Qatar staged? Former Israeli officer claims Qatar, Iran and US coordinated missile strike

A former Israeli intelligence officer has claimed that Iran’s recent missile attack on a US base in Qatar was coordinated in advance with both Qatari authorities and the Trump administration.

Retaliation ‘just for show’, says Israeli analyst

Barak Ravid, a former Israeli Defence Forces intelligence officer and journalist, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday that Iran’s strike on Al Udeid Air Base was not intended to cause harm but to serve as a symbolic retaliation. “The Iranians coordinated this attack with the Qataris and with the knowledge of the Trump administration,” Ravid said during the broadcast.

He cited “a source with direct knowledge” of the missile launch who claimed the move was choreographed to appear tough while avoiding casualties.

Prepared statements fuel claims of prior coordination

Ravid pointed to how quickly statements were released following the incident as further proof of premeditation. “I think the evidence for that is that all those press statements were prepared in advance,” he said. “The Qataris, five minutes after the rockets started flying, issued a 500-word statement that was already just waiting to be sent.”

He added that “nobody was surprised by this attack”, suggesting a broader plan to allow Iran to save face while preventing further escalation.

Ravid said, “If you put all of this together, it looks like an attempt to try and shut it down here. Each side did its part, and now could be the time for de-escalation going forward with some sort of a diplomatic track.”

No casualties reported as missiles intercepted

The attack on the Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts thousands of US troops near Doha, resulted in no casualties. According to reports, Qatar’s air defence systems successfully intercepted the missiles, likely helped by advanced notice of the strike.