Updated September 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM AKDT
TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said it carried out an airstrike targeting senior Hamas leaders in Qatar's capital on Tuesday. The attack prompted international condemnation, and was even met with disapproval from the United States, an ally of both Israel and Qatar.
A Hamas official said no leader was killed. But speaking to NPR on condition of anonymity, in order to comment before the group made a formal announcement, the Hamas official confirmed five fatalities, including the son of Hamas' top negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, as well as an office manager and several other employees.
Qatar's Interior Ministry also said a member of its Internal Security Force was killed.
This is the first time Israel has carried out a strike in Doha. It marks an escalation in Israel's war against Hamas, inside a city that has played host to mediation efforts to end the conflict.
Israel's military said the Hamas leaders it was targeting had been directly responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and have since been "orchestrating and managing" the war against Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement they had instructed officials to prepare for a possible strike on Hamas leaders following a shooting by two Palestinian gunmen that killed six Israelis at a bus stop in Jerusalem on Monday. Hamas on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the shooting in Jerusalem.
Qatar and allies criticized the attack
Qatar's government swiftly denounced the Israeli strike in its capital. "The State of Qatar strongly condemns the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas in the Qatari capital, Doha," the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "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 Qatari statement added that the country "will not tolerate this reckless and irresponsible Israeli behavior, which continuously undermines the region's security."
Envoy Steve Witkoff was told to inform Qatar of the attack
President Trump took to social media to lament the attack happened inside Qatar, even though he said "eliminating Hamas" is a worthy goal.
"This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me. 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," he wrote on Truth Social. "I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack. I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier that the U.S. military — which has a large regional base in Qatar — had learned of the strike just before it began.
Trump added that he spoke to Netanyahu after the strike, and also spoke to Qatar's leaders. "I assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil. I have directed Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to finalize the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Qatar," he wrote.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said he condemned "this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar."
Speaking during a news conference about a report on global military spending, he noted Qatar "has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and the release of all hostages," and said "all parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it."
France, Spain, the United Kingdom and other European countries also condemned the attack, as did Arab states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Jordan.
The strike came just 2 1/2 months after Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base, used by the U.S. military's Central Command, was attacked by Iran in retaliation for the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites.
NPR's Mara Liasson and Michele Kelemen contributed reporting from Washington, D.C.
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