Qatar, the host of the largest US military base in the region, temporarily closed its air / US and UK, citizens' recommendations

The Qatar announced on Monday that it has temporarily closed its air space as a precautionary measure in the context of increased regional tensions, the Doha Foreign Ministry said, quoted by Reuters. The decision aims to protect the safety of the inhabitants and visitors, according to the Qattese authorities.

The measure comes on account of Iran's threats on reprisals against the United States, after several Iranian nuclear installations were the target of US attacks, notes The Guardian.

The US Embassy in Qatar has sent a message to American citizens by e-mail, recommending them to “stay in homes to new instructions”. A similar warning was issued on Monday by the British government, who asked its citizens in Qatar to adopt the same precaution.

According to Reuters, the messages of the embassies caused several institutions in Doha to send notifications to employees and students.

The authorities in Qatar had stated before the closure of the airspace that there is no specific threat to the country's security. The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al-Assari, had stated that “the security situation is stable” and that the embassies warnings do not suggest the existence of a concrete risk.

“The country is ready to take all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens and residents,” he said in a statement.

Two American officials said separately for Reuters that Iran could soon launch attacks against American East forces, one of them saying that they could take place the next day or over two days.

Qatar houses Udeid's air base, the largest American military base in the Middle East. The base serves as an advanced headquarters for the US Central Command (Centcom) and houses about 10,000 American soldiers.

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