Iran says it destroyed major US radar in Gulf as US, Israel escalate strikes

DUBAI/TEHRAN: Iran claimed on Tuesday that its forces destroyed one of the United States’ most advanced long‑range radar systems in the Gulf following a wave of missile and drone strikes, in a significant escalation of the widening conflict between Tehran, Washington and Tel Aviv.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the precision strike hit the AN/FPS‑132 early warning radar located near the US‑operated Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The system, with an estimated range of about 5,000 kilometres and a value of more than $1.1 billion, was reportedly “completely destroyed” in the attack, Iranian state media and local outlets cited Iranian claims.

The Pentagon and US Central Command have not confirmed the claim. An official US response was not immediately available, and independent verification could not be obtained.

Qatar acknowledged that its air defences intercepted missiles but did not provide details on the status of the radar.

The reported destruction comes amid a broader spiral of hostilities after joint US‑Israeli strikes on Iranian targets earlier this week, which Washington says were designed to weaken Tehran’s military capabilities.

The US Central Command has said its forces destroyed several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command, control and air defence sites in Iran, part of sustained operations against what it called imminent threats.

Separately, regional media and officials reported explosions near major cities in Iran — including Tehran and Karaj — and Israeli forces have warned residents in parts of those areas of further strikes. The conflict has expanded across the Middle East, with reported missile and drone attacks on US bases and facilities in Gulf states, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

The escalation marks one of the most intense confrontations between Tehran and Western powers in decades, with critical implications for regional security and global energy markets. Air travel disruptions, shipping delays through the Strait of Hormuz, and rising oil prices have already been reported as the crisis continues to unfold.

Iran’s claims of destroying the radar come as the Islamic Republic says it is retaliating against what it calls coordinated US and Israeli aggression. Tehran has declared that all US and Israeli military targets in the region are legitimate, and missile attacks have been reported across several Gulf countries.