The U.S. and regional partners have stood up a new Middle Eastern Air Defense – Combined Defense Operations Cell at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to strengthen integrated air and missile defenses. Located within the Combined Air Operations Center, the cell will be staffed by U.S. and partner-nation personnel and will coordinate exercises, drills, intelligence sharing and threat warnings. Al Udeid, which hosts about 10,000 U.S. service members, was targeted by Iranian missiles last June; officials reported no casualties. The move is part of efforts to deepen regional defense cooperation amid heightened tensions with Iran.
U.S. and Partners Open New Air-Defense Operations Cell at Al Udeid Amid Rising Tensions With Iran
President Donald Trump gestures while delivering remarks to U.S. troops during a visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on May 15, 2025.
The U.S. military and regional partners have established a new air-defense operations cell at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Tuesday. The unit — the Middle Eastern Air Defense – Combined Defense Operations Cell — is housed in the base’s Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) and is intended to "enhance integrated air and missile defense" across the region, CENTCOM said.
Why This Matters
Al Udeid, located southwest of Doha, is the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and hosts roughly 10,000 U.S. service members. The base serves as a logistical hub for operations supporting the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and was struck last June by short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in an attack attributed to Iran; U.S. officials reported no casualties from that strike.
Mission And Capabilities
The CAOC-based cell will be staffed by personnel from the United States and regional partner nations. Its responsibilities include planning multinational exercises, conducting joint drills, sharing intelligence and threat warnings, and coordinating combined responses to contingencies. CENTCOM notes the Qatar-based CAOC already includes representatives from 17 countries who help coordinate the employment of military air assets across the Middle East.
Soldiers used two Patriot missile batteries to defend Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar from Iran's attack last year.
"This is a significant step forward in strengthening regional defense cooperation," Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said. "This cell will improve how regional forces coordinate and share air and missile defense responsibilities across the Middle East."
Context
Officials emphasize the cell's defensive, cooperative mission amid heightened tensions with Iran following a cycle of strikes and retaliations tied to attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. Former President Donald Trump publicly described last year’s Iranian missile salvo as largely intercepted.
Separately, activist groups report heavy casualties in Iran’s ongoing anti-government protests; the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported more than 2,000 deaths, while international outlets cite similar but varying tallies.
Outlook
CENTCOM and regional partners say the new operations cell will strengthen collective awareness and speed of response to airborne and missile threats by improving information sharing and combined planning. Officials describe the move as part of broader efforts to deepen regional security cooperation and deter future attacks.
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