Jerusalem/Doha: Israel on Tuesday carried out an unprecedented airstrike in Doha, targeting a building said to house senior Hamas leaders. Israeli authorities described the attack as an assassination attempt against top figures of the group.
In a joint statement, the Israeli military and Shin Bet confirmed responsibility, saying the strike targeted Hamas officials “directly responsible for the October 7 massacre” and employed “precise intelligence and munitions” to minimize civilian harm.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that it was “a wholly independent Israeli operation,” adding, “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
Witnesses reported loud explosions and a massive plume of smoke rising over the Qatari capital. No casualties were immediately confirmed.
Israeli officials said they believed key Hamas leaders were inside the building at the time. A senior official told Kan TV there were “strong indications” that deputy political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya and senior figure Zaher Jabarin were present, though authorities were still verifying the outcome.
Hamas, however, denied Israel’s claim. A source told Al Jazeera that no members of the group were killed, adding that the officials were meeting to discuss a ceasefire proposal.
The strike triggered sharp condemnation from Qatar, which hosts Hamas’s political bureau and has served as a mediator in the conflict. The Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as a “serious threat to the security of Qatari citizens and residents” and a violation of sovereignty, announcing an investigation.
Senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh also condemned the strike, calling it a “grave breach of international law.”
The attack marked the first known Israeli strike in Qatar and came a day after Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for a shooting in Jerusalem that left at least six people dead, calling it retaliation for Israel’s ongoing military actions.
