Iran’s supreme leader threatens to strike US bases in Middle East

Iran’s supreme leader issued a fresh threat to the US on Friday, saying American military bases in the Middle East could be struck again if the decision was made to do so.

“Striking Al Udeid Air Base is not a small incident but a major one that can be repeated,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying.

He was referring to last month’s ballistic missile attack against the largest US base in the region in response to the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. “We are capable of reaching important American sites in the region,” Khamenei said.

On Friday, the Pentagon said that one of the missiles struck the base. Satellite imagery this week revealed damage to a radome at the base, which is typically used to store communications equipment and gear. Al Udeid serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command (CENTCOM) in the region.

Shortly after the Iranian attack, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the US was “aware that something” got through the multi-layered air defense systems. But he praised the US troops that worked to thwart the attack, which he said was the “largest single Patriot engagement in US military history.”