Qatar’s Prime Minister and International Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani addresses a press convention following Israeli strikes in Doha on Tuesday.
Karim Jaafar/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
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Karim Jaafar/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
DOHA, Qatar — Qatar has slammed Israel’s assault focusing 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 be the place President Trump visited in Could and lavished reward on the nation’s management for its function as a mediator in conflicts world wide.
That function, nevertheless, has drawn it into the orbit of Israel’s many wars within the area, together with in June when the U.S. navy base in Qatar got here beneath Iranian missile assault throughout a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran that additionally noticed the U.S. get instantly concerned. Iran’s missiles have 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 faculties, nurseries, embassies and houses are situated.
“This may solely described as state terrorism,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani advised reporters after the assault. “This can be a clear message to the area as a complete and that message is that there is a rogue participant within the area.”
He mentioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned he needs to vary the Center East. “Is that this a message that he needs to vary the Gulf area, too?”
Hamas mentioned the Israeli assault in Doha killed the son of Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Heyya, and 5 different lower-level males within the group. Qatar mentioned a Qatari safety officer was additionally killed. It was not independently confirmed if any of Israel’s supposed targets have been killed.
This body seize taken from an AFPTV footage reveals smoke billowing after explosions in Qatar’s capital Doha on Tuesday. Israel’s navy mentioned it carried out airstrikes focusing 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 Pictures
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Jacqueline Penney/AFPTV/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
“This as soon as once more reveals the felony nature of the occupation and its need to undermine any probabilities of reaching an settlement,” Hamas mentioned in an announcement.
Some Israeli officers appeared to acknowledge the strikes could not have killed their supposed 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 mentioned on social media that Hamas leaders ought to disarm and launch hostages, or else they’d all be killed and Gaza will likely be destroyed. “Israel’s lengthy arm will act in opposition to its enemies anyplace,” he wrote. “There is no such thing as a place the place they will cover.”
This handout satellite tv for pc photograph 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 Pictures
Israeli safety officers mentioned the nation’s air pressure 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 get pleasure from immunity anyplace. I can’t permit such immunity for the murderers of our folks,” he mentioned, 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 navy and home intelligence company, Shin Wager, after months of planning, in line with Israeli media.
The airstrikes appeared to catch Qatari political and navy management unexpectedly, with Israeli plane utilizing expertise to evade radar techniques, Al Thani mentioned.
He mentioned the U.S. notified Qatar 10 minutes after the assault about it coming. Trump mentioned he was “very sad” about Israel’s unilateral choice to bomb Qatar, although he wrote in a publish on-line that eliminating Hamas is a worthy objective. Trump known as the Qatari Emir to each condemn the motion and provide 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 mentioned.
Al Thani mentioned the assault was aimed toward Hamas’ negotiating crew because it was learning a brand new U.S. proposal that might finish the conflict in Gaza, however he mentioned 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 kids, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. Israel’s assault on Hamas’ leaders within the Gulf comes as its navy is finishing up an offensive to occupy all of Gaza Metropolis and forcibly displace its almost 1 million residents.
Efforts to finish the almost two-year-long conflict and free remaining Israeli hostages have been thrown into jeopardy after Israel’s assault on Qatar, which had hosted Israeli negotiators in motels in Doha and would shuffle between flooring carrying messages between them and the Hamas leaders in exile.
“Qatar has spared no effort with the intention to finish this conflict and can do no matter it will probably to cease this conflict, to cease this hostility on Gaza,” Qatar’s prime minster mentioned.
However he refused to decide to a continued function for Qatar in these Gaza talks after the assault.
“In the case of the present talks, I do not assume there’s something legitimate proper now, whereas — after we’re seeing such an assault,” he mentioned.
Solely a small fraction of the almost 150 hostages launched from Gaza up to now two years have been instantly freed by Israeli navy operations, with the remainder 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, mentioned after the assault on Qatar that “the probabilities of bringing them again are actually extra unsure than ever.”
The function 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 upfront of the strike it might 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 intention.”
Aya Batrawy reported from Doha, Qatar. Daniel Estrin contributed reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel.
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