DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s Ministry of Interior called on the public to immediately report any unidentified objects or debris suspected to be remnants of intercepted missiles or drones found in the country’s territorial waters, warning that the material may contain hazardous substances posing a risk to public safety.
The ministry issued the advisory on its official X account, instructing residents not to approach or touch such objects and to call the emergency line at 999 so competent authorities can respond in accordance with approved procedures.
“Such objects must only be handled by the competent authorities,” the ministry said, stressing that the warning applies specifically to maritime zones within Qatar’s territorial waters.
BACKGROUND
The warning comes amid an ongoing wave of Iranian missile and drone strikes against Qatar and other Gulf states that began in late February 2026, following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
Since the conflict began on Feb. 28, 2026, locations across Qatar have been subjected to repeated Iranian missile strikes. Qatar’s airspace was closed on the first day of strikes, disrupting flights from Hamad International Airport.
In one of the largest single barrages, Qatar announced the interception of 65 ballistic missiles and 12 unmanned aerial vehicles in a retaliatory attack launched by Iran, leaving eight people injured. Two ballistic missiles struck the U.S.-operated Al Udeid military base, while a drone targeted an early warning radar installation.
On April 1, Iran fired three cruise missiles at Qatar. The armed forces intercepted two, while the third struck an oil tanker chartered to QatarEnergy in the country’s northern territorial waters. All 21 crew members were evacuated without casualties.
Qatar has faced multiple Iranian missile and drone attacks since June 2025, primarily in response to U.S. military operations launched from Al Udeid Air Base.
On March 18, Iran launched strikes that hit Qatar’s massive natural gas facility at Ras Laffan. Following that attack, Qatar ordered Iran’s military and security attachés and their staff to leave the country within 24 hours.
Debris from intercepted missiles and drones has landed across populated areas throughout the region. Qatar’s Interior Ministry previously reported 114 instances of falling shrapnel following a single barrage. Neighboring Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said its explosive ordnance disposal teams had responded to 629 reports involving debris from defensive interception operations since the start of the conflict.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has described Iran’s repeated strikes as a “flagrant violation of national sovereignty” and an “unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region.”