Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., defended an Israeli strike in Doha that targeted senior Hamas figures and compared the action to the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden, saying the Jewish state has a "singular mission" to eradicate the militant group. Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he planned to travel to Israel and framed the strike as part of Israel's effort to protect its citizens.
The Israeli Defense Forces announced the strike on Tuesday, saying it targeted senior-level Hamas leadership. The attack took place in Doha, Qatar, more than 1,300 miles from Israel, and reportedly hit a residential complex. Qatari officials condemned the operation, calling it a "criminal attack" and "a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms," and said it posed a serious threat to the safety of people in Qatar.
Daines told Fox News Digital that his planned trip to Israel preceded the strike and was initially intended to mark the excavation of an archaeological site known as the Pilgrimage Road. He said he had spoken with the Israeli ambassador to the United States and hoped to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but that the tone of the visit is likely to change in light of the strike.
Asked whether the operation might derail ceasefire talks, Daines said he appreciated Qatar's role in negotiations and noted that the United States maintains its largest military base in the Middle East in the country. He emphasized that Hamas "is trying to evade the reach of the Israeli government," and defended Israel's right to target leadership he described as responsible for attacks on civilians.
"If the United States were in Israel's position and 1,200 innocent Americans were slaughtered by terrorists 40 miles from Washington, D.C., the United States would do everything within its power to eradicate the threat," Daines said. He drew a parallel to the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, adding, "We didn't ask Pakistan for permission."
President Donald Trump, when asked about the strike, said he was "not thrilled" and later that he was "very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect," while reiterating that returning hostages remains a priority. The White House took a rare step criticizing the operation in the immediate aftermath, according to officials.
Qatar has been a key interlocutor in efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages taken during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel. Israeli officials said the strike targeted top negotiators in Hamas' political bureau who were considering the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal. Qatari statements said the attack endangered Qatari citizens and residents and violated international norms.
Daines said he had yet to see an assessment of the strike and that he understands Israeli security concerns about militants operating beyond their borders. He referenced previous Israeli operations targeting Iranian military and nuclear personnel, saying Israel had acted where it believed necessary to protect itself.
The planned congressional-level delegation to Israel had included other Republican officials, and administration and diplomatic representatives were expected to attend parts of the visit. Daines said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee were among those anticipated, though the strike has altered the expected tenor of engagements.
The strike in Doha adds to tensions between Israel and countries and organizations involved in hostage negotiations and regional diplomacy. Officials from Qatar and other mediators warned the operation could complicate ongoing efforts to reach an agreement that would secure the release of hostages and halt fighting that followed the October 2023 attacks. Israel has said it will continue to pursue Hamas leadership it views as responsible for attacks on Israeli civilians.
Lawmakers and diplomats will now weigh the diplomatic fallout as the U.S. balances support for Israel's right to self-defense with concerns about operations that take place on the territory of a country engaged in mediation. Daines and other U.S. officials said recovering hostages remains a central objective, even as they defended measures aimed at degrading Hamas' command and control.
Fox News Digital and other outlets reported the developments as the situation continued to evolve, with U.S. and regional officials monitoring both the humanitarian and strategic implications of the strike.