Israel has launched a surprise strike in one of US President Donald Trump’s closest allies Qatar, in another audacious moment in the war in the Middle East.
Several blasts were heard in Qatar’s capital Doha about 5pm on Tuesday (local time) when Israel tried to take out top Hamas leaders based there.
Qatar slammed the attack as “cowardly”, while Hamas said none of its top leaders were among the six people reportedly killed.
The missiles were launched as Hamas leaders were reportedly gathering to consider a US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The White House was not happy about the strike, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt saying Trump “feels very badly” about the “unfortunate” incident.
“The President views Qatar as a very strong ally and friend of the United States and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” she said.
“President Trump wants all of the hostages in Gaza and the bodies of the dead released, and for this war to end now. “
Leavitt said the US military warned the White House that the attack was imminent, after which Trump directed a top aide, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar.
Qatar is a strong Trump ally. Earlier this year, it gifted him a luxury jet known as “the palace in the sky”.
Qatar has also been heavily involved as a intermediary in negotiations to end the war in Gaza.
Leavitt said Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, after the strike.
He assured the Qatari leader that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil”.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar — a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard in bravely taking risks with us to broker peace — does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt said.
“However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed special envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did.”
Later, Trump issued a similarly worded statement to Truth Social, adding that he believed the strike could serve as an opportunity for peace.
“I have directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalise the defence co-operation agreement with Qatar.”
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned Israel’s attack as a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty.
Gulf states and Arab nations also reacted angrily in a chorus of condemnation.
Israeli officials said the hit was aimed at top Hamas leaders, including Khalil al-Hayya, its exiled Gaza Strip chief and top negotiator.
Ambulances and at least 15 police and unmarked government cars thronged the streets around the blast site an hour after the strike.
Israel has killed several top Hamas leaders since the Palestinian group attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel has also launched air strikes and other military action in Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Yemen.
An Israeli official confirmed to Reuters that Israel had carried out an attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar.
Qatar’s al-Jazeera television, citing a Hamas source, said the attack was aimed at Hamas Gaza Strip ceasefire negotiators.
The assault is likely to deal a serious, if not fatal, blow to efforts to reach a ceasefire – especially since negotiations took place in Qatar.
The United Arab Emirates, which normalised relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords in 2020, called the Israeli attack on Doha “blatant and cowardly”.
UAE officials were already angry at an Israeli minister’s plan to annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank, saying that was a red line that could not be crossed.
Regional power Saudi Arabia denounced what it called a “brutal Israeli aggression” against Qatar’s sovereignty.
-with AP/AAP
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