Israel has launched a deadly attack targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar’s capital, Doha, in a move that has drawn widespread international condemnation and further escalated regional tensions.

Hamas confirmed that five of its members were killed in the strike, including the son of senior leader Khalil al-Hayya. 

A Qatari security officer was also reported among the dead. Despite the casualties, the group claimed its top leadership survived the assault.

The strike marks a significant expansion of Israel’s military campaign beyond Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, with Qatar—a key diplomatic player in the region—caught in the crossfire. 

Doha has labelled the strike a “cowardly act” and a “blatant violation of international law,” voicing its anger over what it says was a lack of prior warning from Washington.

Qatar’s government further alleged that it was not alerted by the United States, despite reports that U.S. military officials were aware of the operation. 

US President Donald Trump said that the US had been informed of the planned strike and had attempted to notify Qatari authorities, but "it was too late."

The reaction from the international community was swift and sharply critical. 

France condemned the attack as “unacceptable,” the United Kingdom said it violated Qatari sovereignty, and Saudi Arabia denounced it as “a brutal Israeli aggression.”

On the ground in Doha, eyewitnesses described moments of confusion and fear. “I was in my office when the strikes began—at first I thought it was thunder,” wrote Adnan Elbursh, reporting from the Qatari capital.

The Israeli government has defended the action, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that “no immunity” would be granted to Hamas leaders regardless of their location. 

The strike comes amid growing frustration in Israel over stalled negotiations and what critics interpret as a breakdown in diplomatic channels.

BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen said the attack indicates that Israel may have “given up on talks,” while Al Jazeera’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner reported that Qatari officials were “furious” over the incident.

Since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, more than 64,600 people have been killed and over 163,000 wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities. 

Thousands are still feared trapped beneath rubble. The conflict began following the October 7 attacks, which killed 1,139 people in Israel and saw approximately 200 taken hostage.

Source: BBC, Al Jazeera

SMS/