WASHINGTON, Sept 10: US President Donald Trump has voiced displeasure over Israel’s unprecedented air strike in Qatar, saying he was “not thrilled” with the attack. His comments added to mounting international criticism of Israel’s decision to expand its campaign against Hamas beyond Gaza, the BBC reported.
The BBC stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, insisting it was “fully justified” because it targeted senior Hamas leaders who helped orchestrate the 7 October 2023 assault on Israel. That attack sparked the ongoing Gaza war.
Hamas confirmed that five of its members were killed in the Doha strike, though the group claimed that Israel failed in its attempt to assassinate its negotiating team. The BBC quoted Hamas officials as saying that the team had been meeting in a residential compound to discuss a new US-backed ceasefire proposal when explosions ripped through the site.
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Qatar strongly condemned the Israeli action. The BBC stated that Qatari officials described it as “cowardly” and a “blatant violation of international law”. Qatar, which hosts a major US air base, has long served as a key mediator in indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, alongside Egypt and the United States.
The BBC reported that Qatar’s interior ministry confirmed one of its Internal Security Force members was killed and several others were injured, though it did not mention Hamas casualties. Eyewitnesses in Doha told the BBC they counted up to eight explosions in the Katara district, with smoke rising over the area.
Within minutes of the blasts, Israel publicly acknowledged responsibility. The BBC cited a joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet, which said they had carried out “a precise strike targeting the senior leadership” of Hamas. Israeli media, also referenced by the BBC, said the attack involved 15 fighter jets dropping 10 munitions on a single target within seconds.
Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz later stressed that Israeli security forces were instructed to prepare the strike following two deadly incidents: the killing of six Israelis at a Jerusalem bus stop and the deaths of four soldiers in Gaza. The BBC quoted them as saying that Hamas leadership, targeted in Doha, had not stopped “launching murderous operations” against Israel since the October 7 massacre.
According to the BBC, those targeted included senior Hamas figures Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s chief negotiator, and Zaher Jabarin, an exiled West Bank leader.
