Qatar has shut its airspace and suspended all commercial air travel amid the "credible threat" of an impending Iranian missile strike.

The US-run Coalition Air Operations Centre at Al-Udaid - which houses UK military personnel - is said to be at a state of "high readiness" for a retaliatory strike from Iran.

A statement from the country's Foreign Ministry confirmed its skies have been cleared temporarily over safety concerns for citizens, residents and visitors - but did not give an end time.

Doha's Hamad International Airport serves some 100,000 people every day.

The Ministry said shutting down Qatari skies was "part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region".

"Official authorities are closely and continuously monitoring the situation, evaluating developments in coordination with regional and international partners, and will provide the public with updated information in a timely manner," it adds.

And the warning follows the UK issuing an urgent "shelter in place" alert to Britons in the country amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The Foreign Office told Britons: "Following a US security alert for US nationals in Qatar, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice.

"Follow instructions from local authorities. The FCDO is in contact with local authorities and international partners, and will provide further updates as the situation develops."

The Foreign Office's short update came just a few hours after the US Embassy in Qatar emailed its own "shelter in place" alert to Americans in the country.

A statement from Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed its skies have been cleared temporarily (file photo from Hamad International Airport)

The US message notes that the recommendation is “out of an abundance of caution” and offers no further information.

Despite the UK and US both issuing warnings, Doha maintains the updates do "not necessarily reflect the existence of specific threats".

In a statement, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said before closing its airspace: "The security situation in the country is stable."

It added: "The relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors".

Qatar has shut its airspace and suspended all commercial air travel

Qatar is home to America's largest military base in the Middle East.

The US is said to have evacuated all its aircraft from Qatar shortly before airspace restrictions were put in place.

Around 8,000 American citizens live at the Al Udeid Air Base, the US State Department has claimed.

Following Donald Trump's strikes against Iran, Tehran vowed to retaliate and even warned "every American citizen" in the Middle East was not a target.

An Iranian state television presenter warned that every US civilian and military personnel in the region is now a "legitimate target."

After Donald Trump's strikes against Iran, Tehran vowed to retaliate

In the viral video, Iranian state television presented a graphic of US bases in the Middle East, stating that majority of these bases were "within the fire range of Iran".

However, the latest warnings in Qatar come just days after six Middle East nations issued a set of travel alerts.

The alert warned Britons of travel disruption, including short-notice airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, and other unanticipated travel impacts.

Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were the six countries impacted by the warning.

On Sunday, British Airways suspended all its flights to Dubai and Doha in the wake of the US bombing raids on Iran.