Israel carried out a strike against Hamas’ senior leadership on Tuesday in the Qatari capital, Doha, a U.S. official briefed on the matter said.
Loud explosions were heard in the city, where Hamas stations its headquarters outside of Gaza. The strike on the American ally and leading mediator in international disputes marks a significant escalation in Israel’s multifront conflict in the region.
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Ben intelligence agency said in a statement on X that they had carried out “a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.”
It did not mention Doha directly, but eyewitnesses said they heard loud explosions in the capital, smoke was seen rising above the city, and the Qatari government condemned what it called a “cowardly Israeli attack” targeting Hamas’ headquarters.
“This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar,” the Qatari government said in a statement.
It said “it will not tolerate this reckless and irresponsible Israeli behavior, which continuously undermines the region’s security, or any action targeting its security and sovereignty.”
The U.S. Embassy issued a shelter-in-place order for their facilities after “reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
