Fewer than 50 soldiers were manning the Patriot missile systems defending Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during Iran’s June 23 attack, and now military leadership is calling them the “unsung heroes of the 21st-century United States Army.”

This came less than 48 hours after the United States dropped 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, or “Bunker Buster” bombs, on Iranian nuclear sites during Operation Midnight Hammer.

Personnel in the area were previously moved to extend the perimeter of what would likely be the Iranian targets.

Each battery has multiple launchers and radar systems.

The base, which included U.S. Central Command forward headquarters for the Middle East, was defended by just 44 soldiers, according to Caine.

“The oldest soldier was a 28-year-old captain,” Caine told reporters.

“The youngest was a 21-year-old private who’d been in the military for less than two years.

At roughly 7:30 p.m. local time, Iran struck.

A Qatari military official said in the aftermath of the attack that only one missile hit the base. There were no casualties.

The U.S. official also said he believes that not only was this the “largest single Patriot engagement in U.S. military history,” but it also demonstrates the combat capability and capacity of the United States Army air defenders.

“Simply stated, they absolutely crushed it,” he said.

“These awesome humans, along with their Qatari brothers and sisters in arms, stood between a salvo of Iranian missiles and the safety of Al Udeid. They are the unsung heroes of the 21st-century United States Army.”