Israel launched a strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar on Tuesday, witnesses and officials said, in an escalation that extended the war beyond Gaza and neighboring states to the Gulf, where the Palestinian group has long based its political offices.
According to Al Jazeera, explosions were heard across Doha in the early morning hours, with thick plumes of black smoke seen rising near the Legtifya petrol station, close to a guarded residential compound used by Hamas officials. Qatar’s Al Jazeera network, citing a Hamas source, said the strike targeted senior negotiators involved in ceasefire talks.
An Israeli official confirmed to Reuters that the attack was directed at Hamas leaders in Qatar. Israeli media, quoting a senior official, named Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’ exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator, among those targeted.
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet intelligence agency said in a statement on X that they had conducted “a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.” The statement did not mention Qatar directly.
According to Reuters, Qatar, which has played a key mediating role in efforts to broker ceasefires between Israel and Hamas, condemned the strike in the strongest terms, calling it a “cowardly attack” and a “flagrant violation of international law.” In a statement, the Qatari government 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 State of Qatar will not tolerate this reckless and irresponsible Israeli behavior, which continuously undermines the region’s security, or any action targeting its sovereignty.”
The U.S. Embassy, as cited by Reuters, in Doha issued a shelter-in-place advisory after “reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha,” underscoring the gravity of the situation for an American ally in the Gulf. A U.S. official briefed on the strike confirmed to NBC News that Israel had targeted Hamas’ leadership in the Qatari capital.
The attack comes as Israel pursues a multi-front campaign against Hamas and allied groups, stretching from Gaza and the West Bank to Lebanon, Syria, and now Qatar. The decision to strike in Doha marks one of the most significant escalations of the conflict, given Qatar’s central role as both a regional mediator and host to Hamas’ political bureau since the 2000s.
