Explosions shake Doha as Israel confirms strike on Hamas leaders. Qatar condemns ‘cowardly attack’ and warns of sovereignty breach.
DOHA: Explosions rocked Doha on Tuesday after Israel carried out a strike against senior Hamas leaders, marking the first reported Israeli operation on Qatari soil. Qatar called the attack a “cowardly violation” of its sovereignty, while the Palestinian Authority warned it threatens regional stability.
The Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday it had carried out a “precise strike” targeting senior Hamas leaders, after explosions were reported in the Qatari capital, Doha, where the Palestinian group’s political bureau is based.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and its domestic security agency (ISA) said the attack was directed at Hamas’ senior leadership, though the location was not specified. A senior Hamas source, cited by Al Jazeera, claimed that negotiators were targeted while discussing a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the explosions were linked to an attack on a Hamas residential headquarters in Doha but insisted the “situation is safe.” Smoke was seen rising near residential neighborhoods following the strikes.
Qatar’s foreign ministry strongly condemned what it called a “cowardly” and “criminal” attack on residential buildings housing Hamas officials. Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said the attack was a “flagrant violation of international law” and a “direct threat” to Qatar’s sovereignty and the safety of its residents.
The strike marks the first known Israeli military operation on Qatari soil. Israel’s Prime Minister’s office later said the raid was “a wholly independent Israeli operation” and added: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
The development comes amid Israel’s intensified assault on Gaza City, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned residents to leave ahead of a ground invasion.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority called the Doha strike “a threat to security and stability in the region.” Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and the Maldives joined Qatar in condemning the attack, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described it as a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty.
The US embassy in Doha urged American citizens to shelter in place, while Israeli officials claimed Washington was informed of the operation in advance.
Hamas has not yet issued an official response to the strike.
What we know now, so far:
- Doha blasts: Explosions were heard in Doha after Israel attacked Hamas leadership.
- Hamas says negotiators targeted: A senior Hamas official confirmed to CNN that the group’s negotiators were targeted in Doha. The attack appears to be the first time Israel has launched an operation in Qatar.
- US informed: An Israeli official said the United States was told beforehand of the attack. CNN has reached out to the White House and the State Department for comment.
- Qatar reacts: The Qatari foreign ministry called the strike “cowardly,” saying it constitutes a “blatant violation of international laws and norms.”
- Hamas response: Hamas has not yet issued any official response to the attack.
