Iran has launched a retaliatory attack against the United States in return for strikes on its nuclear facilities, targeting two military bases in the Middle East.

Tehran fired a barrage of missiles at US military bases in Iraq and Qatar, according to the country’s state media.

Explosions were heard over Qatar’s capital Doha, close to the Al Udeid air base, while air defence systems were activated in the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq.

Donald Trump and his national security team are understood to have been monitoring the attacks from the situation room in the White House while US jets scrambled from nearby Saudi Arabia.