Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has fired a litany of missiles against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, America’s largest military base in the Middle East and another military base in Iraq as retaliation for U.S.’s decimation of three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday.

Qatari officials disclosed that all missiles were intercepted before they could inflict any major damage.

“The base that was targeted in the attack by the powerful Iranian forces was far from urban facilities and residential areas in Qatar,” IRGC said in a statement claiming credit for the missiles while apologising to the Qatari authorities. “This action did not pose any threat to our friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people.”

Having neutered Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Islamic nation had vowed a devastating retaliation but their attacks did not catch the U.S. by surprise given some Iranian officials earlier notified Washington of their intent to attack its military bases, in order to ensure counterattack measures were in place and reduce casualties, if any at all, The New York Times cited sources as saying.

The Times report implied that the reprisal —which the U.S. had been notified of in advance—, was Iran’s way of preserving what’s left of its dignity after the barrel of bunker-buster bombs the U.S. dropped on Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan on Saturday.

That there were no casualties at the U.S. military base was interpreted as Iran’s approach to subtly solicit de-escalation of the heightened tensions with Washington in a way that projects defiance without appearing beggarly.

Today’s operations appear similar to 2020 when Iran launches face-saving missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq following President Trump’s decision to assassinate top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

The intercepted missiles mirror Iran’s signature reprisal of 2020 that left no casualties without still leaving them at the mercy of the U.S.

Already, the Gulf states including U.A.E, Bahrain and Kuwait have closed their airspaces to avert future attacks.