Israel says it carried out a “precise strike” targeting senior Hamas leaders in Qatar, a move that marks a major escalation in the conflict and could further inflame tensions across the Middle East.
Israeli officials said the Hamas figures hit in the strike had “led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal Oct. 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”
Qatar, a key U.S. ally that has served as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, strongly condemned the strike. Officials said an Israeli missile struck a residential building in Doha that was housing “several members of the political bureau of Hamas.”
“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,” the government said in a statement.
Israeli officials said they took steps to limit civilian casualties. “Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” they said.
It was not immediately clear whether the United States had advance knowledge of the operation. A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Today's action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility."
