DOHA: Qatar’s air force shot down two aircraft inbound from Iran on Monday (Mar 3), Doha’s defence ministry said in a statement after the Islamic republic earlier targeted gas facilities in the Gulf state.
“Qatar Emiri Air Force successfully shot down two (SU24) aircraft coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran. They also successfully intercepted seven ballistic missiles through air defences, and intercepted five drones by Qatar Emiri Air Force and Qatar Emiri Navy Forces, which targeted several areas in the state today,” the defence ministry said.
It did not elaborate on the fate of the Sukhoi SU24 bombers’ pilots.
It was the first time a Gulf country has engaged a manned Iranian aircraft after three days of bombardment, and comes after Qatar’s state-run energy firm said it had halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production following attacks on two of its main gas processing facilities.
