Israel launched a strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar on Tuesday, dramatically widening its offensive against the militant group as negotiations over ending the war in Gaza remain deadlocked.
Thick plumes of black smoke rose over Doha’s skyline following the afternoon strike, which Israeli military spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee attributed to Israel’s air force. While the extent of casualties was not immediately confirmed, the attack marks the second time in nearly two years of conflict that Qatar — a key mediator in the war — has been directly targeted.
Qatar Airways flights continued to land in Doha during the assault, though at least one Qatari air force aircraft was seen patrolling the skies.
In a statement, Israel’s military said Hamas leaders were “directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.” Officials confirmed to the Associated Press that the strike specifically targeted Hamas’ political headquarters in Doha, though they did not provide further details.
Qatar swiftly condemned the strike as a “cowardly Israeli attack.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said it was a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms,” stressing that Doha “will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty.”
The strike comes at a critical time for mediation efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump had recently issued what he described as a “last warning” to Hamas, backing a new ceasefire proposal presented by his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. The plan calls for the release of hostages, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the establishment of a ceasefire. Hamas officials, however, described it as a “humiliating surrender document,” though they indicated they would respond in the coming days.
Egyptian officials told AP that Hamas leaders had been scheduled to meet at the targeted site to discuss the proposal, raising speculation that the timing of the Israeli strike was deliberate.
Qatar, which has long positioned itself as a key broker in Middle East conflicts, also hosts the vast Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command. That base came under fire during the 12-day Iran-Israel war earlier this year, further highlighting the Gulf nation’s strategic vulnerability.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place order following Tuesday’s strike, warning American citizens to remain indoors.
As the war nears its two-year mark since Hamas’ unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, the Doha strike underscores both the expanding regional scope of the conflict and the growing risks to mediation efforts that have so far failed to produce a permanent truce.
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