Israel has dramatically expanded its military campaign in the Middle East by launching an airstrike in Qatar, killing five Hamas members and sparking an international backlash.
The strike, which rocked Doha on Tuesday, reportedly targeted Hamas’ senior political figures based in the Qatari capital. Among the dead was the son of exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya. Hamas claimed Israel had attempted to assassinate its ceasefire negotiation team but insisted its top leadership survived.
Footage verified by Reuters showed a huge explosion in central Doha. Despite the blast, Hamas officials confirmed that negotiators involved in ceasefire talks were unharmed.
The White House condemned Israel’s decision to carry out an attack inside Qatar, a close US ally and key mediator in Gaza truce talks. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar does not advance Israel or America’s goals. However, eliminating Hamas is a worthy goal.”
She confirmed that President Donald Trump was informed shortly before the strike and spoke with the Jewish state Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu afterwards. Trump visited Qatar in May, staying just two kilometres from the attack site.
Qatar denounced the airstrike as a “cowardly” act and accused Israel of flagrantly violating international law. The attack threatens to derail ongoing peace efforts, which Doha has been mediating alongside Egypt.
The Jewish state officials confirmed the strike targeted senior Hamas leaders, though it remains unclear whether any top figures were killed. The attack came hours after Israel ordered the evacuation of Gaza City as part of its wider offensive to dismantle Hamas’ military infrastructure.
With Qatar’s role as mediator now in jeopardy, the strike risks deepening the region’s instability and undermining fragile ceasefire negotiations.
