Defending Iranian missile attack ‘largest single Patriot engagement in US military history’

WASHINGTON — Following the bombing of the Iranian uranium enrichment site in Iran by U.S. forces last week, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine said Iranians attacked American forces at nearby Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

And there, he said, the joint force defended as it was trained to do. Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made his remarks at a news conference last week with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Last Monday morning, Caine said, the Joint Force saw indications that Iran meant to attack U.S. bases in the  U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. At Al Udeid, he said, most forces were moved off base to extend the security perimeter, but two Patriot missile batteries remained behind to defend the installation.

“[That’s] roughly 44 American soldiers responsible for defending the entire base, to include Centcom’s forward headquarters in the Middle East, an entire air base, and all the U.S. forces there,” Caine said. “The oldest soldier was a 28-year-old captain. The youngest was a 21-year-old private who’d been in the military for less than two years.”

Around 12:30 p.m. Monday, EDT, or 7:30 p.m. in Qatar, Caine said, Iran attacked.

“As the targets were detected, round after round of Patriot missiles are ejected from their canisters by an initial launch charge,” he said. “Then the main solid rocket motor ignites — you can feel this in your body if you’ve ever been around a Patriot taking a shot. And round after round goes out and guides against those missiles coming inbound.

“We believe that this is the largest single Patriot engagement in U.S. military history.”

Caine said the U.S. military was joined in protecting the installation by Qatari Patriot crews as well. While Caine wouldn’t say how many Patriot missiles were launched, he did say there was “a lot of metal flying around.”

“Between attacking missiles being hit by Patriots, boosters from attacking missiles being hit by Patriots, the Patriots themselves flying around, and the debris from those Patriots hitting the ground, there was a lot of metal flying around,” he said. “Our U.S. air defenders had only seconds to make complex decisions with strategic impact. These awesome humans, along with their Qatari brothers and sisters in arms, stood between a salvo of Iranian missiles and the safety of Al Udeid.

“They are the unsung heroes of the 21st century United States Army.”