Israel carried out a strike against what it said was senior Hamas leadership in Doha on Tuesday, an unprecedented attack in the Qatari capital that Qatari officials said amounted to a "flagrant violation" of international law and that raised fears of wider regional escalation.
The Israel Defense Forces said it, together with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), "conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership" of Hamas. The IDF said steps were taken "in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence," and vowed to "continue to operate ... to defeat the Hamas terrorist organisation." Palestinian sources and Al Jazeera reported that negotiators were among those hit; Hamas leaders were in Doha as part of a delegation seeking a ceasefire.
Video and on-the-ground reporting showed plumes of smoke and explosions that witnesses and an AFP journalist said rocked a compound in Doha. Qatari officials described the strike as having struck residential buildings that housed several members of the Hamas political bureau.
The U.S. Embassy in Doha told staff to shelter in place and urged U.S. citizens in the country to do the same. An Israeli official told Reuters that U.S. authorities had been notified prior to the strike.
Qatar's foreign ministry condemned the attack, with spokesman Majed Al-Ansari calling it "cowardly" and a "flagrant violation of all international laws and norms." In a statement, Qatar said the strikes threatened the safety of Qataris and residents in the country and said investigations at "the highest level" were under way.
News organisations reported that senior Hamas figures, including Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, were among the intended targets, citing Israeli media and senior Israeli sources. Hamas officials and Qatari hosts have long allowed members of the group's political leadership to operate from Doha, where the organisation has participated in mediated negotiations.
Analysts say an attack inside Qatar—a close regional mediator and host to international diplomatic activity—represents a significant escalation and could strain relations between Israel and countries that have played a role in talks to de-escalate the Gaza war. Israeli statements stressed the precision of the operation and the intent to limit civilian harm, while Qatari comments framed the strike as an infringement on Qatari sovereignty.
Independent verification of casualties or the full list of those targeted was not immediately available. International news agencies cited local footage and statements from both Hamas and Qatari officials. The attack prompted an immediate diplomatic response from Doha and a security alert at foreign diplomatic facilities in the city.
The strike comes amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and efforts by regional and international actors to negotiate pauses in fighting. Officials in Doha said they would release further details as their investigation proceeded. The unfolding incident is likely to prompt renewed diplomatic activity and scrutiny over actions that cross international borders and involve third-party host states; it also raises questions about the prospects for ongoing mediation efforts in the region.
Reports from Reuters, AFP and Al Jazeera contributed to this article. The situation is developing.