Morrisey: WVNG airmen, soldiers in Qatar ‘accounted for and safe’

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with the latest information.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) – West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey says all of the West Virginia National Guard members overseas are safe after strikes against a U.S. military base in Qatar.

Iran launched missile attacks against the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation to the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday. Morriesy says all of the WVNG Airmen and Soldiers currently stationed or deployed in Qatar are accounted for and safe.

“In the wake of the recent attack by Iran, my office is in close contact with West Virginia’s military forces in the Middle East,” said Morrisey. “All of our West Virginia National Guard Airmen and Soldiers who are currently stationed in or deployed to Qatar, are accounted for and safe.”

According to the Associated Press, officials in Qatar have condemned the attack, saying they successfully intercepted Iran’s missiles and that no casualties were reported. The country also said the airspace was now safe.

Iranian officials said the attack in Qatar “matched” the number of bombs the U.S. dropped on its nuclear sites and targeted the base because it was outside populated areas, according to the Associated Press.

An Iraqi security official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that the Ain al-Assad base, which houses U.S. troops in western Iraq, was also targeted. However, a U.S. military official has since told the Associated Press that there was no confirmed attack on the Ain al-Assad base. It is now believed that this was not an attack, but debris from a malfunctioning missile that triggered an alert of an impending attack, according to the Associated Press.

At this time, West Virginia’s Congressional Delegation has not released any statements regarding Iran’s strikes in Qatar. We will update you if any statements are released.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.