The Israeli military launched an airstrike on Qatar’s capital of Doha on Tuesday, targeting senior Hamas leadership in Qatar.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike a “wholly independent Israeli operation,” saying on X that, “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
“The IDF and ISA [Shin Bet] conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement following the strike.
“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel. Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” it added.
The identities of those targeted have not been confirmed, but Israeli officials have promised to kill Khalil al-Hayya, the chief Hamas negotiator, who is often in Qatar, according to The New York Times.
Qatar, which has acted as a mediator between Israel and Hamas since October 2023, condemned the strike “in the strongest terms.”
“This criminal assault constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar,” Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on X. “The Ministry affirms that the security authorities, civil defense, and relevant entities have immediately begun addressing the incident and taking the necessary measures to contain its repercussions and ensure the safety of residents and surrounding areas.”
Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military facility in the region. Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the base in June in response to American strikes on its nuclear sites, but Qatari forces joined the U.S. in intercepting the missiles.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar said in a statement that it has issued a shelter-in-place order following the strike.
Meanwhile, the New York City Police Department said it was “tracking the situation unfolding in Qatar” and taking precautionary measures.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we’re deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners,” the police department said on X. “We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC.”
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