Israel Strikes Hamas Leaders in Qatar’s Doha: What Happened?
In a bold and surprising move, Israel carried out an airstrike in the heart of Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Tuesday. The target? A building where top Hamas officials were meeting. Israeli leaders say this was a targeted hit aimed at taking out key figures behind the deadly October 7 attack.
Israel’s military and Shin Bet security agency owned up to the operation in a joint statement. They explained that the strike focused on Hamas bosses "directly responsible for the October 7 massacre." To keep things precise, they used smart intelligence and special munitions designed to avoid hurting civilians nearby.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear this was all Israel’s doing. "Israel started it, Israel ran it, and Israel stands by it," he said in a statement from his office. No outside help involved, according to him.
People in Doha heard massive booms and spotted thick smoke rising into the sky. Luckily, early reports show no one got hurt right away. But Israeli officials think some big Hamas names were inside at the time. A top source speaking to Israel’s Kan TV mentioned "strong signs" that Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s deputy political leader, and Zaher Jabarin, another high-ranking member, were there. Still, teams are checking the damage, and nothing’s confirmed yet on who, if anyone, got hit.
Hamas tells a different story. A source close to the group spoke to Al Jazeera and said no one from Hamas died. They claimed the officials were just there chatting about a possible ceasefire deal in the ongoing conflict.
Qatar isn’t happy at all. As a major player mediating between Israel and Hamas—and home to the group’s political office—the country slammed the attack. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry called it a "huge risk to our people’s safety" and a clear breach of their borders. They’re launching a full probe right now.
A top Palestinian official, Hussein al-Sheikh, jumped in too, labeling the strike a "major break of international rules."
This marks the first time Israel has ever hit Qatar with an airstrike like this. It all comes hot on the heels of another incident: Hamas’s military arm, the al-Qassam Brigades, said they carried out a shooting in Jerusalem the day before, killing at least six people. They called it payback for Israel’s actions in the region.
As the dust settles, eyes are on what this means for peace talks and the tense Israel-Hamas conflict. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
