Blasts in Qatar: Israel targets Hamas leadership in Doha attack

• Israeli strike in Qatar: Israel targeted senior Hamas leaders in Doha while they were reviewing a US ceasefire proposal, marking a major escalation.

• Hamas casualties: Top leaders reportedly survived; five lower-ranking members and three bodyguards were killed. A Qatari security officer also died.

• Impact on negotiations: The strike threatens Gaza ceasefire talks and hostage release efforts, deepening Hamas’ mistrust of Israel and the US.

• Hamas leadership abroad: Senior figures, including Khalil Al Hayya, Mahmoud Darwish, and Khaled Meshaal, reside mainly in Qatar and Turkey. Israel had previously avoided Qatar due to its US ties and mediator role.

• US involvement: The White House was notified by the Israeli military. President Trump called the strike an “unfortunate incident” and urged continuation of peace efforts.

• UAE solidarity: The UAE expressed condolences and solidarity with Qatar over the death of a member of its Internal Security Force.

• MoFA statement: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended sympathy to the martyr’s family, Qatar’s government and people, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured security personnel.

• Regional support: UAE reaffirmed full solidarity with Qatar and support for its efforts to address threats to security and stability.

• Regional implications: The strike risks a diplomatic crisis; key allies including Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE condemned the attack. Qatar’s mediator role and US alliance are highlighted.

• Potential consequences: Hamas leaders may restrict communications, potentially slowing ceasefire and hostage negotiations.

• Gaza conflict toll: Over 64,000 Palestinians killed; 90% of Gaza’s 2 million residents displaced; parts of Gaza face famine. Hamas militants continue guerrilla-style attacks.

• Hostages as leverage: 48 hostages remain in Gaza; Hamas demands Palestinian prisoner releases, a ceasefire, and Israeli withdrawal.

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by telephone today with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.

During the call, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed expressed the UAE’s solidarity with Qatar following the Israeli attack on Qatari territory.

Sheikh Mohamed strongly condemned the assault and reaffirmed the UAE’s steadfast support for any measures Qatar may take to safeguard its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and the safety of its people.

The UAE President stressed that the attack represented a clear violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and of all international laws and norms, warning that such actions threaten regional security and stability.

The Hashemite kingdom’s official news agency, Petra, cited a military official saying reports that Israeli aircraft crossed Jordan to hit Doha are “false slander.”

Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, the Qatari ambassador to the UN, wrote that an investigation into the attack is underway and that the state “is taking necessary measures to contain its repercussions.”

“While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty,” she wrote in the letter obtained by The Associated Press.

The ambassador did not request for the 15-member council to hold an emergency meeting as is often done after major escalation.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.”

He urged the United Nations and the international community to stop Israel and save the world from these “unprecedented threats by the Israeli regime on the peace and security of the region.”

He was speaking at a news conference Tuesday after signing an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo. The agreement paves the way for cooperation, including resuming inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Qatar has formally addressed the United Nations Security Council, describing the recent Israeli strike as a “serious incident” that demands immediate attention. In its letter, the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN stressed that the attack constitutes a “flagrant threat” to the security and safety of Qatari citizens and residents.

The letter also noted that investigations at the highest level are currently underway, with further details to be released as they become available.

Qatar denied receiving advance warning from the United States of Israeli strikes on Doha, saying the notification came after the attack had already started.

"Statements circulating about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are false. The call received from an American official came as explosions sounded from the Israeli attack in Doha," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari posted on X.

The White House said Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar did not advance US or Israeli goals in ending the Middle East conflict. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that President Trump views Qatar as a strong ally and expressed regret over the attack’s location.

The strike, she said, targeted Hamas, “who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza,” but Trump seeks the release of all hostages and an end to the war. The US military notified the White House shortly before the strike, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff informed Qatar. Trump assured Qatar such an attack would not happen again.

Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, rejected White House claims that the US had informed Qatar about the Israeli strikes in advance.

“The statements being circulated that the State of Qatar was pre-informed of the attack are completely false,” Al Ansari said.

He added, “The call from an American official came while the explosions from the Israeli strike were already occurring in Doha.”

The UAE has expressed its solidarity with Qatar and offered its deepest condolences after a member of Qatar’s Internal Security Force was killed in an Israeli attack.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended sympathies to the family of the fallen officer and to Qatar’s leadership, government, and people. The ministry also wished a speedy recovery to those injured, reaffirming the UAE’s unwavering support for Qatar and its commitment to standing alongside the country in addressing any threats to its security and stability.

US President Donald Trump did not agree with Israel's choice to conduct strikes against Hamas inside US ally Qatar, the White House said Tuesday.

While eliminating Hamas was a "worthy goal," a strike in the Qatari capital Doha "does not advance Israel or America's goals," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, reading from a statement.

"The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack," she added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the Trump administration was notified by the US military about Israel’s strike in Doha and took steps to alert Qatar.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close US ally working bravely to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt said. “However, eliminating Hamas, which has profited from the suffering in Gaza, is a worthy objective.”

She added that Trump “immediately directed” Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform Qatar of the impending strike.

White House describes Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar as an 'unfortunate incident' that didn't advance peace in region.

Hamas, in its first statement following the Doha strikes, said Israel sought to undermine ceasefire and prisoner exchange efforts.

The group confirmed that its top leaders survived the assassination attempt. However, six others were killed, including the son of Gaza chief Khalil Al Hayya, one of his aides, and a Qatari security officer.

“This once again reveals the criminal nature of the occupation and its desire to undermine any chances of reaching an agreement,” Hamas said.

The Israeli military says a missile has been launched from Yemen. Sirens are sounding in several areas across the country.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu told a US Embassy party that Israel acted “wholly independently” and takes “full responsibility.”

“This action can open the door to an end of the war,” he said, adding that President Donald Trump’s latest ceasefire proposal could end the war immediately.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Israel's air strikes on Doha Tuesday targeting Hamas political leaders, saying the attack violated Qatar's sovereignty and risked "further escalation" in the volatile region.

"I condemn Israel's strikes on Doha... The priority must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a huge surge in aid into Gaza," he posted on X. "This is the only solution towards long-lasting peace."

Qatar’s Interior Ministry said one of its security officers was killed and several others injured while responding to the site of the Israeli strikes in Doha.

“Specialised teams are continuing to inspect and secure the targeted area, with support from the explosives division of the internal security forces,” the ministry said in a statement. Read more

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he approved a “surgical, precision strike” on Hamas chiefs in Doha after the group claimed responsibility for killing four Israeli soldiers in Gaza and six civilians at a Jerusalem bus stop on Monday.

“At noon I convened the heads of Israeli security organisations and authorised a surgical, precision strike on the terrorist chiefs of Hamas,” he said.

Netanyahu added that Hamas had “perpetrated the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust” on 7 October 2023, and stressed: “At the start of the war, Israel said it would reach those who committed that horror. Today, Israel and I kept that promise.”

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog suggested the strike in Doha was aimed at Hamas leaders, saying on X that it was “important and correct” to target the group’s leadership.

Without confirming whether Khalil Al Hayya — Hamas’s exiled Gaza leader and chief negotiator — was a direct target, Herzog accused him of having “the blood of thousands on his hands” and being “one of the architects of the October 7 massacre, as are many of his colleagues.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel's air strikes Tuesday on the Qatari capital Doha were unacceptable, whatever the reasoning behind them might be.

The strikes "are unacceptable regardless of motive", Macron wrote on X, adding that "the war must not be allowed to spread in the region". Israel's strikes on Doha targeted Hamas political leaders in the first attack of its kind in the Qatari capital.

The US military did not participate in the Israeli strikes that took place in Doha, according to a US official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon has directed questions to the White House, where officials didn’t immediately respond.

The US embassy in Qatar has lifted a shelter-in-place order for its facilities, saying the security alert is no longer in effect.

“US Embassy Doha has lifted all restrictions on its personnel. US citizens are advised that the previous security alert is no longer in effect and the shelter-in-place has been lifted,” the embassy said in a post on X.

It added that it will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as needed.

The Sultanate of Oman has expressed its solidarity with the State of Qatar, its leadership, government, and people, strongly condemning the brutal Israeli attack on Qatari territory. Oman denounced the acts of political assassination and treachery, calling them blatant violations of international law and a flagrant breach of state sovereignty.

The ministry warned that such actions constitute a dangerous escalation, threatening regional security and stability and moving the region further away from peace.

According to the Oman News Agency, Muscat supports all measures taken by Qatar to confront this provocative aggression and urged the international community to assume its moral and political responsibilities, exercising legal authority to hold Israel accountable and curb violations of regional security and peace.

The Qatari interior ministry said the situation in Doha is now “secure” following the Israeli attack.

The ministry confirmed that a Hamas residence in the city was targeted and added on X that teams are investigating the incident on the ground.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas condemned Israeli air strikes on Doha targeting leaders of Hamas on Tuesday, warning they threatened regional security and stability.

"His excellency stated that the brutal Israeli attack on Qatar constitutes a blatant violation of international law and an escalation that threatens regional security and stability," Abbas's office said in a statement reported by the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with the Emir of Qatar, reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s full support for Qatar and condemning the Israeli attack as a criminal act and a blatant violation of international law and norms.

On Tuesday, the Saudi Council of Ministers reiterated its demand that Israeli authorities be held accountable for crimes of genocide and serious violations committed against unarmed Palestinian civilians.

Israel notified the United States before it carried out air strikes on senior Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha, a White House official said Tuesday.

"We were informed in advance," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity about the strike on Qatar, a key US ally that's home to a large US military base.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the recent Israeli attack on the sisterly State of Qatar.

Describing the strike as a “flagrant violation of international law,” the ministry said it poses a serious threat to regional security and stability and directly undermines international peace. Kuwait reaffirmed its call for the UN Security Council to take decisive action to halt systematic Israeli aggression in the region.

The ministry also reiterated Kuwait’s full support for Qatar’s measures to safeguard its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israel's strikes on Qatar Tuesday, calling them a "flagrant violation" of Doha's sovereignty.

"We are just learning about the Israeli attacks in Qatar, a country that has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and release of all hostages. I condemn this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar," Guterres told a media briefing.

In a statement, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abou Gheit said the attack violated Qatar’s sovereignty.

He said Israel “does not care about the consequences of its shameful actions.”

Saudi Arabia has condemns in the strongest terms the brutal Israeli attack and the blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty.

It affirms full solidarity and support for Qatar, pledging all available means to assist the country, and warns of the grave consequences of Israel’s continued transgressions and violations of international law and norms.

Qatar’s Interior Ministry said that the loud blasts heard across the capital were the result of an Israeli strike on a residential compound housing members of Hamas.

In a brief statement, the ministry said emergency and security teams “are carrying out their duties” and stressed that “the situation is safe.” Officials urged the public to rely only on information issued through official channels.

The Israeli strike in Doha targeted a Hamas delegation that had gathered to discuss a proposed ceasefire plan from the US President.

Qatar Airways has confirmed that its flight operations remain unaffected following the explosions reported in Doha earlier today, which sources have linked to a targeted Israeli strike.

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the airline said: “The recent unfortunate events in Doha have not impacted Qatar Airways operations and there have been no disruptions as a result.”

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the UAE’s support for Qatar on Tuesday following an Israeli strike in Doha that targeted a Hamas delegation gathered to discuss a proposed ceasefire plan from the US President.

On his X account, Sheikh Abdullah wrote: “We stand in full solidarity with Qatar.”

Meanwhile, Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, said the “security of the Gulf states is indivisible,” voicing full support for Qatar after what he described as a “treacherous Israeli attack.”

“We stand wholeheartedly with Qatar, condemning the assault and reaffirming our complete solidarity in confronting this aggression,” Gargash added. “May God protect Qatar, its leadership and people, and safeguard all the Gulf states.”

In its first official comment on the attack, the US embassy in Doha said it had seen “reports of missile strikes occurring” in the Qatari capital.

“The US Embassy has instituted a shelter-in-place order for its facilities,” the embassy said in a social media post, adding that US citizens in Qatar should also remain indoors.

Qatar has strongly condemned an Israeli attack in Doha, targeting Hamas officials. “The State of Qatar strongly condemns the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas in the Qatari capital, Doha,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

“This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar. The ministry affirms that the security forces, civil defense, and relevant authorities immediately began addressing the incident and taking necessary measures to contain its repercussions and ensure the safety of the residents and surrounding areas,” he added.

“While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they are available,” the statement concluded.

Several blasts were heard in Qatar's Doha on Tuesday, Reuters and AFP witnesses said.

Axios reporter Barak Ravid citing Israeli officials said the explosions in Doha is an assassination attempt against Hamas officials, according to Reuters.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet announced targeting Hamas’s leadership in a strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force, according to media reports.

The annoucement does not explicitly mention Qatar, but comes following reports of large explosions in Doha, where Hamas’s top leadership resides.

Qatar’s Al Jazeera news network linked explosion in Doha to Israel’s announcement it targeted Hamas in a strike.

The Israeli military said it took steps to mitigate civilian harm in the strike, including by using precision munitions and other intelligence.

Hamas’ exiled leadership has long been based in Qatar, which has served as a mediator in talks between Hamas and Israel for several years, even before the latest war in the Gaza Strip.

A strike on its top leadership could further complicate negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken in Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack. Most of Hamas’s leadership in Gaza has been killed in the war, while the militant group’s political leadership abroad has mostly been untouched. Qatar serves as one of the two Arab countries, along with Egypt, mediating talks between Israel and Hamas.