Qatar’s Prime Minister and Overseas Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani addresses a press convention following Israeli strikes in Doha on Tuesday.
Karim Jaafar/AFP by way of Getty Photos
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Karim Jaafar/AFP by way of Getty Photos
DOHA, Qatar — Qatar has slammed Israel’s assault concentrating on Hamas leaders on its soil as an act of “state terrorism” after an upscale suburb in its capital, Doha, was rocked with explosions that killed six folks and dashed hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza, the place the Gulf Arab state is a mediator.
The assault surprised the tiny Gulf nation, which is a U.S. ally that hosts Hamas leaders in exile in addition to 1000’s of U.S. troops on the biggest air base for American forces within the Center East. Qatar can also be the place President Trump visited in Could and lavished reward on the nation’s management for its position as a mediator in conflicts around the globe.
That position, nevertheless, has drawn it into the orbit of Israel’s many wars within the area, together with in June when the U.S. army base in Qatar got here below Iranian missile assault throughout a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran that additionally noticed the U.S. get instantly concerned. Iran’s missiles had been intercepted with advance warning. Israel has additionally attacked Syria, Lebanon and Yemen this week.
Tuesday’s assault by Israel on Hamas in Doha got here with no advance warning, says Qatar’s prime minister. It struck part of Doha the place colleges, nurseries, embassies and houses are positioned.
“This will solely described as state terrorism,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani advised reporters after the assault. “It is a clear message to the area as an entire and that message is that there is a rogue participant within the area.”
He stated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated he desires to vary the Center East. “Is that this a message that he desires to vary the Gulf area, too?”
Hamas stated the Israeli assault in Doha killed the son of Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Heyya, and 5 different lower-level males within the group. Qatar stated a Qatari safety officer was additionally killed. It was not independently confirmed if any of Israel’s meant targets had been killed.
This body seize taken from an AFPTV footage reveals smoke billowing after explosions in Qatar’s capital Doha on Tuesday. Israel’s army stated it carried out airstrikes concentrating on senior Hamas leaders within the Qatari capital Doha, the venue of a number of rounds of talks aimed toward ending the Gaza conflict.
Jacqueline Penney/AFPTV/AFP by way of Getty Photos
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Jacqueline Penney/AFPTV/AFP by way of Getty Photos
“This as soon as once more reveals the felony nature of the occupation and its want to undermine any probabilities of reaching an settlement,” Hamas stated in a press release.
Some Israeli officers appeared to acknowledge the strikes might not have killed their meant targets, with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter telling Fox Information, “If we did not get them this time, we’ll get them subsequent time.”
Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz stated on social media that Hamas leaders ought to disarm and launch hostages, or else they’d all be killed and Gaza can be destroyed. “Israel’s lengthy arm will act in opposition to its enemies anyplace,” he wrote. “There isn’t any place the place they’ll conceal.”
This handout satellite tv for pc picture obtained Wednesday from Planet Labs PBC and dated Sept. 9, 2025, reveals the broken constructing housing members of Hamas’ political bureau in Qatar’s capital Doha after it was focused by an Israeli strike.
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Planet Labs/AFP by way of Getty Photos
Israeli safety officers stated the nation’s air drive dropped greater than 10 munitions within the assault on Qatar, in line with Israeli media.
Netanyahu defended the assault at a U.S. Embassy occasion in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
“The times are over when terrorist leaders take pleasure in immunity anyplace. I can’t permit such immunity for the murderers of our folks,” he stated, referencing the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023, on Israel, that killed 1,200 folks, in line with Israeli officers.
Netanyahu oversaw the Doha operation’s execution alongside senior leaders from the Israeli army and home intelligence company, Shin Wager, after months of planning, in line with Israeli media.
The airstrikes appeared to catch Qatari political and army management without warning, with Israeli plane utilizing know-how to evade radar techniques, Al Thani stated.
He stated the U.S. notified Qatar 10 minutes after the assault about it coming. Trump stated he was “very sad” about Israel’s unilateral determination to bomb Qatar, although he wrote in a put up on-line that eliminating Hamas is a worthy aim. Trump known as the Qatari Emir to each condemn the motion and supply reassurances that the U.S. had neither coordinated with Israel forward of the assault, nor acquired any prior discover of it, Qatar’s prime minister stated.
Al Thani stated the assault was aimed toward Hamas’ negotiating group because it was finding out a brand new U.S. proposal that would finish the conflict in Gaza, however he stated Israel has labored to sabotage each try at reaching peace.
Israel’s conflict in Gaza since has killed greater than 64,000 folks, a 3rd of them youngsters, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. Israel’s assault on Hamas’ leaders within the Gulf comes as its army is finishing up an offensive to occupy all of Gaza Metropolis and forcibly displace its practically 1 million residents.
Efforts to finish the practically two-year-long conflict and free remaining Israeli hostages had been thrown into jeopardy after Israel’s assault on Qatar, which had hosted Israeli negotiators in resorts in Doha and would shuffle between flooring carrying messages between them and the Hamas leaders in exile.
“Qatar has spared no effort with a view to finish this conflict and can do no matter it may well to cease this conflict, to cease this hostility on Gaza,” Qatar’s prime minster stated.
However he refused to decide to a continued position for Qatar in these Gaza talks after the assault.
“On the subject of the present talks, I do not suppose there’s something legitimate proper now, whereas — after we’re seeing such an assault,” he stated.
Solely a small fraction of the practically 150 hostages launched from Gaza up to now two years have been instantly freed by Israeli army operations, with the remaining freed via Qatari and Egyptian mediation. The households of the 48 captives that stay contained in the Palestinian territory, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, stated after the assault on Qatar that “the probabilities of bringing them again are actually extra unsure than ever.”
The position of the Qatari authorities within the on-again-off-again negotiations between Israel and Hamas has been essential, alongside Egypt, and if the authorities in Doha weren’t notified prematurely of the strike it could be “extraordinary, and never in a great way,” in line with Michael Koplow, the chief coverage officer on the Israel Coverage Discussion board, who typically briefs members of Congress on regional coverage issues.
“Unclear how any negotiations can ever proceed given Doha’s standing because the venue,” Koplow wrote in an electronic mail, including that “possibly that was the goal.”
Aya Batrawy reported from Doha, Qatar. Daniel Estrin contributed reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel.
