Doha, September 9, 2025: Explosions rocked Qatar’s capital on Tuesday after Israel said it carried out a “precise strike” targeting senior Hamas leaders, in what marks an unprecedented escalation of the nearly two-year-old Gaza war.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet security agency confirmed the operation but did not specify the exact location. Qatari officials said residential compounds housing Hamas political bureau members in Doha were struck, triggering plumes of black smoke near the Katara District and Legtifya petrol station.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly and criminal assault” and a “blatant violation of sovereignty and international law.” Spokesman Majed al-Ansari said security forces and civil defence units were mobilised immediately to secure the area, stressing that Qatar “will not tolerate reckless Israeli behaviour that endangers its security.”
A senior Hamas source told Al Jazeera the group’s political bureau leaders were meeting to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest ceasefire proposal when the compound was targeted. The source claimed all attendees survived the assassination attempt.
Israeli media reported the strike aimed at top figures including Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s Gaza chief. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich hailed the operation, declaring: “Terrorists have no immunity anywhere in the world.”
The strike has triggered immediate diplomatic shockwaves. Iran’s foreign ministry denounced the attack as a “gross violation of Qatar’s territorial integrity.” The U.S. embassy in Doha advised its citizens to shelter in place, while White House officials declined immediate comment. Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said President Trump would likely address the strike directly, leaving speculation over whether Washington had prior knowledge despite its major military presence in Qatar.
The attack comes less than two weeks after Israeli armed forces chief Lt Gen Eyal Zamir warned Hamas leaders abroad were also “within reach.”
The incident risks derailing fragile ceasefire negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Despite multiple rounds of talks, the conflict has left more than 64,000 Palestinians dead and displaced millions since October 2023.
Over the weekend, Trump issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas to accept a prisoner release deal, saying Israel had already agreed to U.S. terms. Hamas responded that it was ready to negotiate immediately but demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and independent Palestinian administration of the territory.
With Doha now directly hit, Qatar’s future role as a mediator appears uncertain. Investigations into the strike’s full impact are ongoing, and further details are expected in the coming hours.
