U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Israel on Sunday to press Israeli leaders for answers after an Israeli Defence Forces airstrike in Doha that disrupted mediation efforts and alarmed Washington.
Rubio met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and visited the Western Wall together as he sought both reassurances of continued U.S.-Israeli cooperation and greater transparency about the strike, which targeted Hamas leadership in Qatar and drew sharp criticism from the White House.
"We’re going to talk about what the future holds, and I’m going to get a much better understanding of what their plans are moving forward," Rubio told reporters after meeting Netanyahu. He said the president was "not happy" about the strike and added, "Obviously we’re not happy about it. The president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next."
Rubio reiterated what he described as the Trump administration’s aims for the conflict: "President Trump wants Hamas defeated, he wants the war to end, he wants all 48 hostages home, including those that are deceased, and he wants it all at once." He said recent events would factor into how quickly those goals can be pursued.
Netanyahu sought to frame the visit as an affirmation of the two countries’ relationship, saying Rubio’s presence demonstrated that U.S.-Israeli ties "have never been stronger. It’s a testament to the durability, the strength of the Israeli-American alliance." The Israeli leader accompanied Rubio on the Western Wall visit, a highly symbolic stop in Jerusalem.
The Doha strike last week targeted senior Hamas figures and led Qatar — a key U.S. partner that has been mediating indirect talks over the Gaza war — to say it would continue to serve as a mediator while warning of potential retaliation. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani had told Rubio and President Trump in a previous meeting that such a strike should not have happened and that the attack had "killed" the peace talks, according to officials.
Rubio’s trip follows diplomatic outreach to Doha intended to de-escalate the immediate fallout and to preserve Qatar’s role in any negotiated settlement. U.S. officials have pressed Israel for more detailed accounts of the strike and its implications for ongoing efforts to secure a cease-fire and the release of hostages.
The visit also provides political cover for Netanyahu as international scrutiny mounts over Israel’s conduct in the nearly three-year-old war in Gaza. The United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to convene this month, and several European governments, including France and Britain, are reported to be moving toward formal recognition of a Palestinian state — a step that has heightened tensions in Jerusalem.
U.S. officials have described the Doha strike as complicating a delicate set of diplomatic threads that included indirect talks and international pressure to end the fighting and return hostages. Rubio said Washington would continue to back Israel while also demanding that Israeli leaders explain how recent actions affect the prospects for a swift resolution.
Qatar has historically hosted Hamas political leadership and acted as an intermediary in past hostage negotiations. Qatari authorities condemned the strike and warned of repercussions but stopped short of severing diplomatic ties or abandoning their mediator role. Washington has emphasized the need for continued Qatari participation to advance any agreement.
Rubio’s discussions with Israeli officials are expected to continue in Jerusalem and to address both short-term crisis management and longer-term questions about strategy in Gaza, hostage recoveries and the preservation of regional partnerships. With global attention focused on the coming U.N. session and shifting diplomatic alignments, the administration faces pressure to balance support for Israel with the need to sustain channels for negotiation.