Security situation in Qatar ‘stable,' advisory issued by number of embassies ‘do not necessarily reflect existence of specific threats,' says Qatari Foreign Ministry
The US Embassy in Qatar advised American nationals on Monday to “shelter in place” until further notice amid an escalating military conflict between Israel and Iran and a day after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
“Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice,” the embassy said in an email sent to US citizens in Qatar and published by media outlets.
The warning comes a day after the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan on Sunday, amid rising concerns over an Iranian military response to the strikes.
The Qatar Foreign Ministry, for its part, said that the security situation in the country was stable.
“Advisory issued by a number of embassies to their citizens to take precautions or avoid certain locations in the State of Qatar … do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific threats,” ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said in a statement.
“The security situation in the country is stable, and that the relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors,” he added.
The US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites were the latest escalation in a US-backed Israeli military assault on Iran since June 13, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks on Israel.
Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.
Meanwhile, in Iran, 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to the Iranian Health Ministry.
