The Pentagon already had begun taking measures to strengthen its firepower in the Middle East and protect U.S. bases there.

In public, Qatar was insisting on the right to defend itself after Iran attacked a U.S. military site in the emirate. Behind the scenes, it was already mediating a truce between Israel and Iran.

Iran retaliated against the U.S. on Monday, launching missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar, according to a U.S. defense official and a statement from the Qatar foreign ministry. The missiles targeted Al Udeid Air Base outside Doha and were intercepted by air defenses before they could strike the base,