How 44 US Soldiers Defended a Key Base From Iranian Missile Attack

The oldest soldier on base was a 28-year-old captain.
How 44 US Soldiers Defended a Key Base From Iranian Missile Attack
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine (2nd L), accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (L), speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on June 26, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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Fewer than 50 soldiers were manning the Patriot missile systems defending Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during Iran’s June 23 attack, and now military leadership is calling them the “unsung heroes of the 21st-century United States Army.”

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine addressed reporters during a June 26 news briefing at the Pentagon, following Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s praise for the troops in the region.