The U.S. has publicly distanced itself from the action, signaling a rare rift and raising fears of a dangerous regional escalation. (Image: Vox)
Israel escalated the conflict sharply by striking inside Qatar for the first time, killing six people, including a Qatari security officer, in attacks aimed at Hamas leadership. The strikes drew heavy international criticism, with the United States moving quickly to separate itself from the decision.
On Tuesday, multiple explosions rocked Qatar's capital, Doha. The source of the blasts was not a internal incident but an external military operation. Israel confirmed it had conducted strikes on the political headquarters of Hamas, marking a significant and dangerous expansion of its campaign against the militant group beyond the borders of Gaza and into a key U.S. partner nation.
According to Hamas, six people were killed in the strikes. Among the dead was a son of the group's top negotiator. Crucially, however, the group stated that its most senior leaders had survived the attack. In a statement that escalated the diplomatic crisis, Qatar confirmed that one of its own security officers was also killed in the operation, an act it views as a grave violation of its sovereignty.
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The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stark and unambiguous statement, claiming full responsibility while emphasizing its independence. The statement declared the operation was “a wholly independent Israeli operation” against the Iran-backed group. This wording suggested a conscious decision to take unilateral action while being cognizant of the probable international censure.
Qatar's response was one of fury and condemnation. Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari did not mince words, calling the Israeli strike a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms."
The emirate's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, went even further, suggesting the event could trigger a regional war. “We believe that today we have reached a pivotal moment," he told a press conference. “There must be a response from the entire region to such barbaric actions.” He confirmed Qatar reserves the full right to respond to the attack.
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In a rare public divergence, the United States explicitly rejected Israel's decision to strike inside Qatar. The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, clarified that President Trump did not agree with the choice of location for the attack.
"The attack's location deeply distresses the president, who sees Qatar as a close friend and ally of the United States," Leavitt stated.
Echoing the official White House line but on his own platform, Truth Social, former President and current leader Donald Trump explicitly stated the decision was Israel's alone. He criticized the strategic wisdom of bombing a U.S. ally actively involved in peace negotiations.
“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. He did, however, reaffirm that “eliminating Hamas... is a worthy goal.”
This event represents a critical juncture in the ongoing conflict. Any lingering hope for a short-term ceasefire agreement is complicated by the killing of a Qatari officer and the prospect of a regional response, which expands the fight beyond Gaza and may attract additional powers.
