Kamal Ghorui
A Qatari military helicopter crashed in the Gulf country’s territorial waters during a routine operation, the defence ministry said on Sunday.The incident comes amid the ongoing regional tensions involving the United States-Israel and Iran in the Middle East.“A Qatari helicopter had a technical malfunction during a routine duty, which led to its crash in the regional waters of the state. A searching operation for its crew members and passengers is in progress,” the ministry wrote in an X post.According to Qatar’s interior ministry, specialized teams are actively involved in the rescue efforts.“The Ministry of Interior announces that its specialized teams are conducting search and rescue operations in the country’s territorial waters following a helicopter crash reported by the Ministry of Defence. These operations are being carried out in close coordination with the Maritime Search and Rescue Team of the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security, as well as the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group of the Internal Security Force,” the interior ministry stated.Further details, including the number of people on board, have not yet been released.On February 28, the United States and Israel launched large‑scale, coordinated military strikes across Iran, marking the start of the conflict. In response, the Islamic Republic has carried out a series of retaliatory attacks. Tehran’s forces have launched missile and drone strikes not only against Israeli territory but also against US military bases and allied facilities in several Gulf states, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Iran has also targeted locations near major strategic infrastructure and declared the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to shipping — a key global energy transit route.
