A small crew of air defenders stayed behind to protect Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, as Iranian ballistic missiles flew towards it on Monday. The base was largely empty due to previous evacuations, leaving only a handful of soldiers and two Patriot batteries to defend it.
According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this engagement marked the largest single Patriot engagement in US military history. Iran had threatened to launch 14 missiles at Al Udeid in response to the number of precision-guided munitions dropped on its nuclear facilities.
The Iranian barrage began at around 7:30 PM local time and lasted for several minutes, with multiple Patriot missiles being fired from their canisters by an initial launch charge. The defense system successfully intercepted most of the incoming missiles, with an estimated two to four interceptors fired per missile.
Despite the successful defense, concerns remain about the US military’s ground-based air and missile defense capacity. With only 17 Patriot battalions deployed worldwide, the service is heavily stretched. The incident highlights the limitations of existing air and missile defense systems, particularly in defending against complex attacks from multiple directions.
There were no reported casualties during the incident, but officials have not ruled out another US strike against Iran should it continue its nuclear weapons development. The fate of troops and aviation assets normally stationed at Al Udeid remains uncertain, with updates to be provided as more information becomes available.
Source: https://www.twz.com/land/largest-patriot-salvo-in-u-s-military-history-launched-defending-al-udeid-air-base-against-iranian-missiles