Qatar Denies U.S. Advance Israeli Strike Warning

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The White House revealed on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump directed his envoy to notify Qatar of an impending Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha. However, the Qatari government swiftly rejected the account, stating that the American warning came only after the Israeli bombardment had already begun, as explosions echoed through the capital.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the U.S. military informed the administration earlier in the day that Israel was preparing to attack Hamas leaders in Doha. She described the assault as “unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is bravely working with us to broker peace.”

Leavitt added that President Trump immediately instructed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to alert Qatari officials of the incoming strike, which she said was carried out. “The President views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” she told journalists. “He assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”

Trump, according to Leavitt, personally phoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the strike, as well as the Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar. He expressed regret over the attack’s location, reiterated his commitment to Middle East peace, and emphasized that he expects both allies—Qatar and Israel—to work toward de-escalation.

“The President disagrees with the location of the strike, and he made that clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Leavitt said, while stressing that Trump believed the incident could nonetheless serve as an opportunity for peace. She confirmed that Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Witkoff were present during the call with Qatari officials.

When pressed on whether Netanyahu faced consequences for launching the strike, Leavitt maintained that only the President could decide on such measures, but insisted that Trump remained focused on peace and stability in the region.

Shortly after the White House briefing, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Dr. Majed al-Ansari issued a sharp rebuttal. In a post on X, he declared: “Statements circulating about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are false. The call received from an American official came as explosions sounded from the Israeli attack in Doha.”

The statements being circulated about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are baseless. The call from a U.S. official came during the sound of explosions caused by the Israeli attack in Doha.

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari)

One hour after the White House statement US President Donald Trump denied any role Tuesday in Israel's strikes on Qatar, saying the decision to launch the attacks was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's and not his.

"This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, adding that he wants the Gaza war to "END, NOW!"

The airstrike on Tuesday targeted senior members of Hamas’s political bureau during a meeting in the Qatari capital. Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi confirmed that while the delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya survived, several close associates were killed. Among the dead were al-Hayya’s son, Hammam Khalil al-Hayya, and his chief of staff, Jihad Lubad.

HAMAS stated, that six people were killed in total, including a Qatari security officer. The Qatari Ministry of Interior identified him as Warrant Officer Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari, a member of the Internal Security Force. The ministry said several others were wounded and stressed that security forces and civil defense immediately intervened to contain the situation. Doha vowed it would not tolerate what it called reckless Israeli aggression and announced that investigations were underway at the highest level.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed responsibility for the Doha strike, with spokesperson Avichay Adraee stating that the operation targeted Hamas leaders who, he alleged, were directly responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attacks and the ongoing war against Israel. He emphasized that precision munitions and additional intelligence were used to limit civilian casualties. Israeli Army Radio later reported that the strike was coordinated with the United States, though this claim was not publicly confirmed by Washington.

The strike has unleashed a wave of condemnation across the Arab world and beyond. Qatar labeled it a flagrant violation of sovereignty and international law, while Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, and Turkey issued strong rebukes, describing the assault as reckless and destabilizing. European leaders also condemned the attack, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling it a breach of Qatar’s sovereignty and French President Emmanuel Macron describing it as “unacceptable.” Germany’s foreign minister assured Doha of solidarity, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Francis both warned of the grave dangers of escalation.

The Doha strike marks the first time Israel has directly bombed Qatari territory, targeting Hamas leadership hosted in a Gulf state that has long played a key mediating role in ceasefire negotiations. The unprecedented move has not only shaken Qatar’s position as a regional mediator but also thrust U.S.-Israeli relations into sharper focus, as Washington now faces questions over its prior knowledge and response to the attack.

Updated in Sep. 9, 2025 at 11:44 PM