Former US official says role in attack appears ‘confusing’
Adam Clements, a former US official, has said that the Trump administration’s role in the strikes appears “confusing” thus far.
“If the US had knowledge [of the attack], then the US would want to evacuate or at least have shelter-in-place for some diplomats and US service members who are in Qatar,” Clements told Al Jazeera.
“I am wondering who is in control here,” he added. “Is the United States telling Israel what it needs to do, or is it the other way around? And I think that’s one consideration as these situations develop.”
Trump ally says he discussed ‘today’s events’ with Netanyahu
Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham, a hawkish supporter of Israel and ally of President Donald Trump, says that he spoke with Netanyahu and met Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to discuss “today’s events”.
“I just had a very productive and candid meeting with my dear friend Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, about today’s events and the way forward in the Middle East writ large,” Graham said in a social media post.
“I also spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu over the phone. Prime Minister Netanyahu stressed to me his admiration for President Donald Trump, calling President Trump’s support for Israel historic, unrivalled and deeply appreciated.”
I just had a very productive and candid meeting with my dear friend @AmbDermer, Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs, about today’s events and the way forward in the Middle East writ large.
I also spoke with Prime Minister @netanyahu over the phone. Prime Minister Netanyahu… pic.twitter.com/aB6PFjORnc
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 9, 2025
US was ‘informed’ of Israeli attack: Official
A White House official tells Al Jazeera that Washington “was informed of the operation targeting Hamas officials in Qatar”.
The US has close ties with Qatar and has designated it as a major non-NATO ally.
Israel’s strike ‘counter to US interest’
Rob Geist Pinfold, an international security scholar at King’s College London, says that while he can see a rational argument for the Doha attack from the Israeli perspective, but that its baffling why the US would allow this to happen without any forewarning.
“Israel decided that, at the end of the day, the benefits of potentially taking out the Hamas leadership outweighed any potential costs in terms of ramifications for its relationship with Qatar”, he told Al Jazeera, “but this is completely against the US’s national interest”.
“We’ve heard from multiple analysts already that the US [Army] CENTCOM has a base here. There’s a clear inherent danger to US citizens and troops on the ground by allowing this kind of reckless strikes by Israel or anyone else”.
