Blasts Reported Near Hamas Office in Doha as Israel Claims Attack on Group’s Leaders

Israel's military said it had targeted Hamas leaders with an airstrike on Tuesday, shortly after several blasts were reported by witnesses in the Qatari capital, with smoke seen rising north of the city center.

It is the first time Israel has launched a military strike against Hamas in Qatar, a U.S. ally that has hosted the group's political bureau since 2012 and has been mediating negotiations between Hamas and Israel

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it had conducted “a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization,” which is based in Doha.

“Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” the statement added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike “was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” said a statement from the Prime Minister’s office on X.

The attack prompted a rare note of criticism from President Donald Trump.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America's goals,” Trump wrote on social media.

“However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal,” he added.

Qatar's Al Jazeera television, citing a Hamas source, said the attack targeted Hamas Gaza ceasefire negotiators. Hamas later said its senior leaders survived the attack, but five lower-level members were killed.

Qatar has hosted members of Hamas' political wing since 2012 as part of an agreement with the United States. But in November 2024, the United States requested that Qatar expel the militant group's political wing from the country. Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed that the offices would remain open, despite a pause in negotiations between Israel and Hamas at the time, according to spokesman Majed Al Ansari.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry called the attack “cowardly,” adding that it also targeted residential buildings alongside Hamas offices.

“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,” said spokesperson Al Ansari, adding that Qatar "will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior".

The United Arab Emirates has also condemned what it called a “treacherous” attack by Israel. “We stand heart and soul with the sisterly State of Qatar…affirming our full solidarity with it in confronting this aggression,” said Anwar Gargash, a senior UAE diplomatic advisor.

The U.S. embassy in Doha has said it has seen reports of the missile strikes and that it “has instituted a shelter-in-place order for their facilities,” advising U.S. citizens in Qatar to stay inside and monitor the embassy’s communication updates.