Tuesday September 9, 2025
Police and security vehicles stand outside a damaged residential building in north Doha after an Israeli strike on Tuesday targeted Hamas figures in the Qatari capital. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack as a “cowardly” violation of sovereignty, while regional and international leaders warned it could derail ceasefire efforts in Gaza.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Israel said Tuesday it carried out a strike in Doha targeting senior Hamas figures as the group weighed a U.S. ceasefire proposal for Gaza, a rare attack on the soil of a U.S. ally that risks upending mediation efforts.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a “cowardly” assault and a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty. The Interior Ministry said one member of its Internal Security Force was killed and others were wounded. The U.S. Embassy in Doha issued a shelter-in-place alert after the blasts and later lifted it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly claimed responsibility, saying, “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.” He linked the operation to a shooting at a Jerusalem bus stop on Monday that killed six people and to recent attacks on Israeli troops in Gaza. The military said it used “precise munitions,” but did not detail the weapons or platform.
A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the movement’s leadership survived the assault, while saying the son of negotiator Khalil al-Hayya and a top aide were killed. The claims could not be independently verified. Israel was still assessing whether any Hamas leaders were killed, according to Israeli media and wire reports.
The strike hit a residential area in north Doha near diplomatic missions and schools in mid-afternoon, when traffic was heavy, according to reporters and residents. Video from the scene showed smoke rising above damaged buildings as police cordoned off the site.
The attack shook ceasefire diplomacy. U.S. officials said Washington was notified in advance that Israel would target senior Hamas figures in Doha. It was not immediately clear whether the United States approved the strike or played any role in it. Hamas said its negotiators in Doha had been meeting to discuss new U.S. ideas that call for the immediate release of all hostages and a truce that could lead to a negotiated end to the war.
Regional reaction to Israel’s strike in Doha was swift, with Saudi Arabia pledging full solidarity with Qatar and warning of broader escalation. The United Arab Emirates called the attack a “serious assault on international law,” while Egypt described it as a dangerous precedent undermining peace efforts. Jordan vowed unwavering support for Qatar and pressed the global community to rein in Israel, as Turkey’s Foreign Ministry accused Israel of pursuing “expansionist politics and terrorism.” Morocco and Pakistan both denounced the assault as an unjustified violation of sovereignty, and Lebanon’s president along with the Palestinian Authority said it posed a severe threat to regional stability.
Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement denouncing the assault as a “brutal” attack that deliberately targeted civilians and violated international law.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the strike as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and urged all parties to work toward a permanent ceasefire. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states issued swift denunciations and voiced solidarity with Qatar.
Families of Israeli hostages said they feared the operation would endanger their relatives in Gaza and derail prospects for a deal. “The prospect of their return now faces greater uncertainty than ever,” Israel’s Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.
Israel has long warned it would target Hamas leaders abroad. Qatar, which hosts thousands of U.S. troops and has mediated between Israel and Hamas for years, has served as the main venue for talks during the 23-month war that began after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Multiple Hamas leaders — including Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Yahya Sinwar in Gaza — were killed over the past year in operations Israel has either claimed or been widely accused of carrying out.
Tuesday’s strike comes as Israel signals a push to seize more of Gaza City and as the United States presses a new framework to exchange remaining hostages for Palestinian prisoners and halt the fighting. Netanyahu said Israel has accepted the U.S. “principles” for a deal; Hamas has called prior terms insufficient and insists on a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
