Israel carried out a strike in Doha targeting Hamas leadership, drawing sharp condemnation from Qatar and triggering a U.S. embassy shelter-in-place order.
DOHA – Israel on Tuesday carried out a military strike in Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas officials, including chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, two Israeli sources told CNN. The attack marks the first known Israeli strike against the militant group on Qatari soil.
“We are awaiting the results of the strike,” a senior Israeli official said. A Hamas representative confirmed that negotiators were among those targeted.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari condemned the attack as a “cowardly” and “criminal assault” that violated international law. “While strongly condemning this attack, the State of Qatar emphasizes that it will not tolerate this reckless and irresponsible Israeli behavior,” he said on X.
One Israeli source said the United States was notified in advance. Following the blasts, the U.S. Embassy in Doha issued a shelter-in-place order, urging American citizens to remain indoors. “We have seen reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha,” the embassy posted.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed that, in coordination with the Shin Bet security agency, it had carried out “a precise strike” targeting Hamas senior leadership outside Gaza. The IDF statement said those struck “are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre and have been orchestrating the war against the State of Israel.”
The explosions came a day after Al-Hayya met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha.
Qatar, a U.S. major non-NATO ally and host of the Al Udeid Air Base, has been a mediator in past Israel-Hamas negotiations.