Doha, Qatar – After a night of fear and uncertainty following Iran’s attacks on the United States military base in Qatar, life in the Gulf state has swiftly returned to normality.
Iran fired 19 missiles at the US’s Al Udeid airbase on Monday. The Qatari defence forces intercepted 18, Ministry of Interior officials confirmed in the hours after the attack.
The base is located 35 kilometres (21 miles) from Doha, but the incoming barrage of missiles flew over the capital, which had become gripped with tension.
In the preceding hours, the US and Britain had advised their citizens to shelter in place.
Qatar shut its airspace and announced that schools would be closed on Tuesday, while many were advised to work from home.
However, 12 hours after the attack, the roads in and around Doha have a steady flow of traffic and most residents have shrugged off the fear they experienced the night before.
Surprise holiday
“We panicked for a total of five minutes as the windows shook and loud booms were heard, but we knew we’re in safe hands here in Qatar, so the fear was short-lived,” Ruqayyah Muhammad, a British resident of Qatar, told Al Jazeera at a shopping mall.
“As soon as we were informed of the school closure, we planned a family day out to enjoy the unexpected time off,” she said, while pointing at her three children waiting to enter an indoor playground.
“If we had any apprehension or safety concerns, we wouldn’t have brought our children out.”
Given the unexpected holiday for schools and the majority of the country’s workforce staying at home, main roads in the city did not experience the usual morning rush-hour traffic.
Instead, residents headed out into the city’s shopping malls and recreational facilities.
Some, like Mubarak al-Kaabi, used the opportunity to run some errands.
The 56-year-old said he and his compatriots have “full faith” in the state leadership and armed forces.
Al-Kaabi was attending a wedding at a functions hall when the missile attacks began.
“All but 20 or 25 wedding guests rushed out of the venue but the hosts did not postpone the ceremony because we knew it would all be OK,” al-Kaabi said while shopping at one of the most popular malls in the city.
“We are relaxed and going about our day as usual today.”
‘Missiles in the sky’
For those visiting the country from abroad, the unusual situation stirred anxiety.
Zara Shamim, a US citizen, arrived in Qatar on Friday to visit her family but found herself in an unforeseen situation.
“In hindsight, it was scary in the moment, but now that I have seen the public going about their lives as usual and just another day off, I feel a little calmer,” she said.
The 18-year-old high school graduate said she had found herself reflecting on the ongoing conflicts around the world after “seeing missiles in the sky for the first time”.
“As an American, I have seen fear-mongering on social media and it has escalated further since the US attacked Iran,” she said.
“While I’m not concerned about my safety in Qatar, I do feel some uncertainty about the overall situation in the world.”
Buried in memories
Elsewhere in the city, it’s back to business as usual but with an added layer of caution.
Bushra Ali, who took her children to the cinema, was intrigued to hear the emergency exit procedure being announced in the cinema before the film began.
“They told us not to panic and how to exit the cinema should the alarm go off, but then the movie began and everyone settled back in,” she said with a chuckle.
“It was an amusing scene when people began looking around, it’s something we’re not used to experiencing in Qatar.”
With the Interior Ministry’s reassuring messaging in the hours after the attack and news of an imminent ceasefire, Qatar and its residents have found themselves falling back into the rhythm of everyday life.
Schools will reopen on Wednesday, offering children who missed their exams on Tuesday to – unfortunately for them – sit the tests after a day’s break.
Expatriate workers and families will be able to head home for their summer holidays after Hamad International Airport announced flights were gradually returning to their normal schedule.
For the small Gulf nation, home to about three million people, Monday night’s attacks will soon be buried in their memories.
