Doha: Israel has launched an airstrike on Hamas officials meeting in Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Tuesday, in an attack that reportedly targeted the group’s chief ceasefire negotiator and killed at least six people, including the son of exiled Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya. Hamas said its top leaders survived the strike.
The rare assault on the soil of a key US ally has triggered international condemnation and sparked fears of a wider regional escalation, even as Gaza braces for a fresh Israeli offensive.
White House officials confirmed Washington had been informed in advance of the attack but stressed it was not carried out with US approval. President Donald Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said the president was alerted by the military on Tuesday morning and instructed his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to tip off Qatar. Doha, however, stated that the warning came only after explosions rocked the Katara district.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt said.
White House Releases Statement on the Israeli Strike in Doha:
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally… does not advance Israel or America’s goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy… pic.twitter.com/JxuYjweb02
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 9, 2025
Trump, in a Truth Social post, insisted he played no role in the decision. “This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu; it was not a decision made by me,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, saying that, “Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
Israel described the strike as retaliation for a Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem on Monday that killed six Israelis. Gaza health officials said Israel’s military campaign has already killed more than 65,000 Palestinians since the war began last October.
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, accused Israel of state terrorism and of sabotaging peace efforts. “Qatar reserves the right to respond to this blatant attack and will take all necessary measures,” he said.
Turkey accused Israel of adopting terrorism as state policy, while Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned the strike as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty.
The IDF and ISA conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.
For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 9, 2025
In London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the attack as a breach of international norms but said he would still proceed with a scheduled meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The strike, which witnesses said produced multiple blasts and plumes of smoke over Doha’s Katara district, came less than two weeks after Israel’s military chief vowed to pursue Hamas leaders abroad.
Hamas accused Israel and the US of using a deception to lure negotiators into the meeting. The group had signaled on Sunday that it was ready to resume talks based on new US proposals.
The attack also raised questions among Gulf leaders about Washington’s reliability as a security guarantor. Qatar hosts the vast Al Udeid Air Base, a cornerstone of U.S. military operations in the region.
