US declines to comment on Doha attack

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly has told Al Jazeera that there is no comment from the US administration at this time on the Israeli strikes in Doha. They are obviously still watching this to see how it develops.

The US president is likely to be the first to comment on his Truth Social platform. Additionally, we have a press briefing coming up in three and a half hours, and that is when the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will have the opportunity to answer a lot of questions.

Whether the US commander in chief greenlighted this attack on Qatar – where the US has a military base – or not, is something for speculation at the moment.


Israeli official says the US was informed ahead of attack on Doha

An Israeli official said the United States was informed ahead of the Israeli attack in Doha, Qatar.

CNN has reached out to the White House and the State Department for comment.

US embassy in Doha issues shelter-in-place order for staff

In the first official US comment on the attack, the American embassy in Doha says it has seen “reports of missile strikes occurring” in the Qatari capital.

The US embassy in Qatar has instituted a shelter-in-place order for its facilities in the country, it said in a post on X.

“We have seen reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha. The US Embassy has instituted a shelter-in-place order for their facilities. US citizens are advised to shelter-in-place,” it said.

Qatar resident says explosions were heard in capital during attack

We have some reaction from on the ground now in Doha. A foreign resident living in the Qatari capital told CNN they heard several explosions in the capital at the time of the Israeli strike.

Israel and Qatar confirmed Hamas were targeted in Doha, as we’ve been reporting.

“I heard five explosions at least. Looked out of the window, sounded so close that I thought it was in my backyard. But after checking news, I think it’s 15 min away from where I live, although I’m not sure of the exact location,” an expat in Doha told CNN.

The resident asked CNN to stay anonymous due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Israel bombed six Arab countries over past month

The Israeli military strikes targeting Doha underscore Israel’s ever-expanding military campaign in the region.

Over the past weeks, Israel has been bombing Gaza in Palestine, while regularly carrying out strikes in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

Yesterday, a suspected Israeli drone also targeted a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla docked in Tunisia.

Sometimes I really hate people (not all of them, of course). This time it's the ones that keep enabling this nonsense Isreal is doing. Supporting Israel (let alone being Isreal) is borderline evil at best at this point and has been for a relatively long time now.

Targeted Hamas delegation was discussing Trump’s proposal: Source

A Hamas source tells Al Jazeera that Israeli strikes targeted officials from the group who were meeting in Doha to discuss Trump’s ceasefire proposal.

What has Trump said about the ceasefire proposal?

Hamas officials say Israel’s attack has targeted a group of leaders and negotiators as they met to discuss a ceasefire proposal put forward by the US. Trump said in a social media post on Monday that Israel had “accepted my Terms” and it was “time for Hamas to accept as well”.

“I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting,” he added. “This is my last warning, there will not be another one!”

Throughout the course of the war, the US has often portrayed Hamas as the primary obstacle to reaching a ceasefire agreement. But Israel has scuttled previous deals while the Israeli prime minister has repeatedly stated that he is not interested in a permanent end to the war or a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Israeli finance minister calls Doha attack ‘correct decision’

The far-right Israeli official Bezalel Smotrich has praised the attack targeting Hamas’s leadership, calling it the “correct decision”. “Terrorists have no and will have no immunity from the long arm of Israel anywhere in the world,” Smotrich said in a social media post.

Israeli opposition leader calls attack ‘exceptional operation’

Yair Lapid, leader of the Israeli opposition, has praised the attack in Doha. In a social media post, he congratulated “all security forces on an exceptional operation to thwart our enemies”.

‘Israel takes full responsibility’ for Doha attack: Netanyahu’s office

The office of the Israeli prime minister suggests that Israel acted alone in its attack on Doha.

“Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation,” Netanyahu’s office said in a social media post. “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”

Neither the Israeli military nor Netanyahu explicitly referred to the location of the attack in the Qatari capital in their statements.

_{A damaged building due to an Israeli attack on Hamas leaders, in Doha, Qatar, September 9}

Netanyahu, Katz say Doha attack ‘completely justified’

In a joint statement, the Israeli prime minister and his defence minister link the attack in Doha to the East Jerusalem shooting that killed six Israelis yesterday.

“The prime minister and defense minister believed the operation was completely justified in light of the fact that this Hamas leadership initiated and organized the October 7 massacre, and has not ceased to launch murderous actions against the State of Israel and its citizens since then,” the statement said.

The strikes on Doha, which targeted a residential neighbourhood, appear to violate several provisions of international law, including the UN Charter’s prohibition on aggression against independent states.

US senator celebrates Israeli strikes

Democratic lawmaker John Fetterman shares a social media post appearing to revel in the Israeli attack on Qatar – a formal partner of the US as a major non-NATO ally and host to the largest US military base in the Middle East.

https://t.co/q03dhz5KVW pic.twitter.com/q1eL1MF6jz

— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 9, 2025

Israeli parliament speaker: ‘This is a message for the entire Middle East’

In a social media post, Amir Ohana, speaker of the Israeli Knesset, has shared a video of the Israeli strikes on Doha with a caption in Arabic that reads: “This is a message for the entire Middle East.”

Critics have been accusing Israel of operating as a rogue state, waging aggressions well-beyond its borders in violation of international law.

هذه رسالة لكل الشرق الأوسط pic.twitter.com/K9b5klGKMx

— Amir Ohana - אמיר אוחנה (@AmirOhana) September 9, 2025

Qatar’s statement of condemnation, in full

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.

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 Ministry affirms that the security forces, civil defense, and relevant authorities immediately began addressing the incident and taking necessary measures to contain its repercussions and ensure the safety of the residents and surrounding areas.

While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they are available.

Security of Gulf states ‘indivisible’ after attack on Qatar: UAE official

Senior diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash says the United Arab Emirates “stands wholeheartedly with our sisterly state of Qatar” and condemns “the treacherous Israeli attack that targeted it”.

“The security of the Arab Gulf states is indivisible,” Gargash said. He stressed that his country is in “full solidarity with [Qatar] in confronting this aggression”.

Saudi Arabia warns of ‘grave consequences from Israel’s persistence in criminal transgression’

Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s attack on Qatar “in the strongest terms”, calling it “brutal Israeli aggression and the flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the sisterly State of Qatar”.

It also warned of “the grave consequences resulting from the Israeli occupation’s persistence in its criminal transgressions and its blatant violation of the principles of international law and all international norms”.

GCC stands in ‘full solidarity’ with Qatar against ‘despicable, cowardly’ Israeli attack

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has expressed support for Qatar and condemned Israel’s attack in Doha, calling on the international community to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law.

“His Excellency Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), condemned in the strongest terms the despicable and cowardly operation carried out by the Israeli occupation forces on the territory of the sisterly State of Qatar,” a statement from the group reads.

GCC countries “stand in full solidarity with the sisterly State of Qatar and stand with it in any action it takes against this treacherous aggression, which has violated and torn apart all international laws and treaties adopted by the countries of the world”, it adds.

“This requires the international community to immediately rise up and fulfill its duties to hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for their brutal and serious crimes and to deter them from all their practices that have begun to destabilize and undermine security in the region.”

PLO condemns ‘heinous’ attack on Qatar’s sovereignty

The head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has condemned the “heinous” Israeli attack on the Qatari capital, saying it “constitutes a serious violation of international law and the sovereignty of the State of Qatar”.

“It is considered a threat to security and stability in the region,” PLO Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh said in a statement.

Doha attack a ‘turning point’, says Palestinian politician

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, says the Israeli attack on Doha represents a “turning point that will have dangerous implications” for the region.

“This operation is against Qatar, which is leading the mediation efforts, and against the Hamas leadership that is discussing the American proposal,” Barghouti said. “Is there worse shamelessness?”

He added that the strikes show that Israel is not interested in a ceasefire agreement and is determined to carry on with its genocide and ethnic cleansing plans in Gaza.

How is the world reacting to Israeli attacks on Qatar?

Pope says situation ‘very serious’

Pope Leo expressed concern for the situation in the Middle East following Israel’s strikes on Qatar.

“There’s some really serious news right now: Israel’s attack on some Hamas leaders in Qatar. The entire situation is very serious,” Pope Leo said outside the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, ANSA news agency reported.

Failure of assassination attempt ‘would not absolve Israel’ of responsibility

Liqaa Maki, a scholar at the Al Jazeera Media Institute, says the hypothetical survival of the Hamas delegation “would not absolve Israel” of the responsibility for the attack in Doha.

“Regardless of the results, the aggression happened, and Israel has proven that it is a country with no inhibition that does not respect international law or global peace and security. It is a threat to security and peace in the world and thus it must be held accountable,” Maki said.

“Israel has crossed all red lines.”

Israel engaging in ‘gangster’ behaviour

Here we have again a situation where a proposal is handed over, where Hamas has said it accepts it in principle and is ready to discuss it – and then is bombed.

This is gangster behaviour. This is Mafia behaviour. This is not a state that is involved in diplomacy and negotiations. That’s not how they behave.

I don’t think, analytically speaking, that Israel would carry out any such attack without an American green light. If America indeed did not give a green light, we should be hearing a condemnation coming any minute. The Americans should not procrastinate. The Trump administration needs to condemn this behaviour by its client, Israel, while negotiations are going on, while the Trump proposal is being discussed.

Any less than public condemnation of this kind of mafiosi-type behaviour would not be acceptable from the likes of the United States and certainly not from Western Europe, certainly not from Europe in general, and clearly, there has to be an immediate condemnation from all of the Arab world.

Israel ‘detached from international reality’ in its military actions

Yossi Mekelberg, senior consulting fellow with think tank Chatham House, tells Al Jazeera that Israel’s strikes on Doha signal a complete lack of respect for international law or the sovereignty of other countries.

“There’s a domestic, internal conversation, which is completely detached from the realities outside Israel, in which everything is permissible”, he told us from London.

“And I must admit, when I heard this news, I was gobsmacked by the very idea that the country was attacked, Qatar, is the one that’s negotiating a ceasefire”, he continued.

He added that Netanyahu’s continued pronouncements of the high importance of bringing home the remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza are not believable, because actions such as this attack undermine the possibility of a ceasefire settlement being reached.

‘Many feel terrorised’: Panic in Doha after Israeli strikes

William Lafi Youmans, a Qatar-based Palestinian American academic, says many Doha residents feel “terrorised” after the Israeli strikes.

“I was driving home after work and saw smoke rising from near the road. Police cars and fire trucks zipped past. I assumed it was a fire but then saw frantic messages and got calls about there being an Israeli attack. When I got home, my family told me they heard the loud explosions. Only then did I feel the fear,” Youmans told Al Jazeera.

“Friends close to the strike zone said their building shook and they ran out to find out what happened. A student emailed me about their home being next to the strike site. There has been tension in the air and many feel terrorised.”

Youmans added that his thoughts went to Palestinians suffering under much heavier bombardment in Gaza.

“I’m struck by how much these strikes have sent everyone into a panic, and yet it’s only minuscule compared to what Palestinians in Gaza have suffered every hour for two years,” he said.

Who is Khalil al-Hayya, one of the Hamas officials targeted by Israel?

Reports say that senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya was the main target of Israel’s attack in Doha. But who is al-Hayya, and what role does he play within Hamas?

Al-Hayya has taken on a greater role in the Palestinian group following the killing of leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar last year, overseeing ceasefire negotiations as the top negotiator and acting as the exiled head of Gaza affairs in Doha.

Al-Hayya was born in Gaza in 1960 and has been part of Hamas since the group first came together in 1987. He has lost several family members, including his son, to Israeli strikes.

In 2007, an Israeli air strike hit his family home in Gaza City’s Sejaiyeh quarter, killing several of his relatives, and during the 2014 war between Hamas and Israel, the house of Hayya’s eldest son, Osama, was bombed, killing him, his wife and three of their children. Al-Hayya was not present during those attacks.

He left Gaza several years ago and has based himself in Doha, becoming one of the most influential members of Hamas abroad and serving as a pivotal figure for connections with the rest of the Arab and Islamic world.

Which Hamas leaders has Israel assassinated recently?

Israel has killed several senior Hamas leaders as it targeted the Palestinian group after its attack on October 7, 2023.

Khalil al-Hayya survived, but his son and aide were killed: Hamas official

Suhail al-Hindi, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, confirms that the group’s leadership that was targeted in Doha has survived the attack. Al-Hindi told Al Jazeera repeatedly that the group’s leaders are okay.

Qatari security officer killed in Israeli strikes: Interior Ministry

Qatar’s Interior Ministry says a member of the country’s security forces was killed and others were wounded in Israeli’s attack on Doha.

“Specialised crews are continuing to inspect and secure the targeted area with the explosives division of the internal security forces,” the ministry said.

Hamas confirms leaders survived, six others killed in Israeli attack

In its first official statement after the strikes in Doha, Hamas says the Israeli attack aimed to scuttle the ceasefire and prisoner exchange talks.

The group also confirmed that its top leaders survived the assassination attempt while six others, including the son of its Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya and one of his aides, as well as a Qatari officer, were killed.

“This once again reveals the criminal nature of the occupation and its desire to undermine any chances of reaching an agreement,” Hamas said.

Israeli captive’s mother: ‘Netanyahu may have assassinated my son’ with attack

Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan Zangauker, currently held captive in Gaza, says that she is “trembling with fear” in the wake of Israel’s attack on the Hamas negotiating team in Doha.

“Why does Netanyahu insist on sabotaging every opportunity to reach a deal?… My son’s life has been in real danger for 22 months… The prime minister is obstructing the deal again, and no deal is on the table,” she said in a video message posted on social media.

“I am fed up. The people of Israel are fed up with this war.”

Israeli strike could be ‘watershed moment’ for Gulf state security

As more details emerge about Israel’s strike on Doha, other Gulf states could be reconsidering the value of their relationship with the United States, says Sultan Barakat, a professor in public policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

“I think this is going to be a watershed moment, to be honest, similar to the day when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, as far as Gulf state security is concerned. Now, they will have to rethink their whole assumption that their security can be guaranteed by the United States, and by good relationships with the West”, he told Al Jazeera

“If the United States — and obviously it’s an ‘if’ —  had stabbed Qatar in the back over this one issue, then I think the rest of the Gulf states should take it extremely seriously and come up with a totally different proposition as far as the relationship with the US is concerned,” he added.

Hezbollah says Israel’s Doha attack a ‘new level of criminality’

The Lebanese group says it condemns the attack that targeted the Hamas leadership in violation of the sovereignty of the “brotherly state of Qatar”.

“This cowardly crime only proves the evil and shamelessness of the Zionist entity, which is revealing to the world a new level of criminality and its disregard for all international laws and norms,” Hezbollah said.

It added that Israel is showing its “persistence” to violate the sovereignty of other countries “whenever and however it pleases”. The group called on Arab and Muslim countries to pressure the US “through all means” to end its unconditional support for Israel.

Hezbollah is facing calls at home to disarm in accordance with a US proposal that includes promises that Israel would withdraw from areas it occupies in southern Lebanon and end its attacks against the country.

Palestinian Authority president warns failure to stop Israel will have global repercussions

Mahmoud Abbas has condemned Israel’s “brutal” attack on Qatar, warning that the failure to halt the Israeli aggression “would have repercussions not only on the region but on the entire world.”

Abbas added that the solution lies in solving the Palestinian cause.

Palestinian member of Israeli parliament Ahmad Tibi also reacted to the attack, saying that Israel had once again managed to derail mediation efforts. “Ethnic cleansing and the destruction of Gaza are the only plan of this blood-soaked government”, he said.

Tibi argued that Israel was “attacking the Hamas leadership in Qatar instead of responding to the [US] deal proposal.”

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.”