Qatar's air force shot down two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets in a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, marking the first confirmed destruction of crewed Iranian aircraft since conflict erupted last week. The Qatari Ministry of Defense said its forces intercepted the Soviet-era strike aircraft, though the fate of their four-person crews remains unknown.

Earlier strikes had targeted Iranian bombers on the ground, limiting Tehran's defensive capabilities. Meanwhile, drones struck a QatarEnergy facility in Ras Laffan, forcing the state-owned energy giant to halt liquefied natural gas production. European natural gas prices surged following the attack on Qatar's critical energy infrastructure.

Qatar also reported intercepting seven ballistic missiles and five drones during the same period. The Su-24 jets, capable of carrying 17,000 pounds of weapons, represent a significant portion of Iran's aging air force, which had only 29 operational aircraft before the conflict began. Military analysts note that despite these losses, neither the US nor Israel has suffered significant combat losses that would affect their campaign capabilities.