Israel used weapons not detected by air defences: What to know about Israeli attack on Qatar

Doha airstrikes draw Qatar’s fury, Gulf solidarity and warnings Gaza truce talks at risk

Last updated: September 10, 2025 | 05:21

Stephen N R, Senior Associate Editor

3 MIN READ

Smoke rises after several blasts were heard in Doha,

ANI

Dubai: Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday targeted senior Hamas leaders in Qatar’s capital Doha, killing at least six people in a dramatic escalation of the nearly two-year Gaza war.

The strikes hit residential buildings housing members of Hamas’s political bureau at a time when ceasefire negotiations were under way in the city.

The rare attack on Qatar, a US ally that hosts thousands of American troops and has been a key mediator in Gaza peace talks, drew strong condemnation from Gulf states and an unusual public rebuke from US President Donald Trump.

Hamas said its top leadership survived but confirmed that family members and aides were killed. Qatar warned it would not tolerate what it called reckless Israeli behaviour, while analysts said the assault may have fatally undermined efforts to secure a truce and hostage release.

What happened?

Israel launched airstrikes on residential areas in Doha said to house Hamas leaders
Explosions were reported in Doha’s embassy district, where smoke was seen rising over a low-rise building
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes followed a Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem that killed six people
Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said all security agencies were instructed to prepare for targeting Hamas leaders abroad
Qatar said Israel used weapons “not detected by its air defences”

Who was killed?

Hamas said six people were killed, including the son and aide of senior negotiator Khalil Al Hayya, and three bodyguards
Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed one of its internal security officers was killed and several wounded
Hamas stressed its senior leaders survived, calling Israel’s mission a failure

How did Qatar respond?

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said it reserved the right to respond to the Israeli attack, which it said constituted a a “pivotal moment” for region.
He also said that Israel used weapons that were not detected by Qatar’s air defences.
He said Qatar had not been warned beforehand, receiving a US call 10 minutes after the bombing began
Qatar told the UN Security Council it would “not tolerate reckless Israeli behaviour” and called the attack a “serious escalation”
The Emir of Qatar spoke to Trump and vowed to take “all necessary measures to protect the country’s security and sovereignty”

What did Trump say?

The White House said Israel informed the US in advance. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump tasked envoy Steve Witkoff to warn Qatar, though Doha said the warning came only after the explosions
Trump posted on Truth Social that Netanyahu acted unilaterally: “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States… does not advance Israel or America’s goals”
He later assured Qatar’s Emir that such a strike “will not happen again on their soil”

How did Hamas react?

• Hamas called the strike a “heinous crime and flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty

• The group accused Israel of “sabotaging Gaza ceasefire talks” and held the US “jointly responsible” for supporting Israeli aggression

• Hamas posted on Telegram and WhatsApp, naming those killed and praising them as martyrs

How did the region respond?

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait all condemned the strike, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman calling it a “criminal act”
Senior UAE officials described it as a “treacherous Israeli attack” and stressed “the security of Gulf states is indivisible”
Analysts warned the attack may have derailed Gaza ceasefire talks, with one expert saying Israel had “killed the negotiations and any chance of getting its hostages back”
What happens next?

Qatar has vowed to continue its mediation role despite the attack, but analysts believe the strike has sharply reduced chances of a ceasefire.
Israel’s use of weapons that bypassed Doha’s air defences has also raised fresh questions about the vulnerability of security systems and the risk of further escalation.

Stephen N RSenior Associate Editor

A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics. Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision. For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.