Israel has defended its deadly airstrikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar, insisting the operation was justified despite a rare rebuke from United States President Donald Trump.
The strikes, carried out Tuesday in Doha, targeted residences linked to Hamas political bureau members.
According to Hamas, six people were killed, including the son of top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, three bodyguards, and an aide. Qatar also confirmed the death of one of its security officers.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, defended the operation. Speaking to Israeli radio station 103FM, he said, “We don’t always act in the interests of the United States.
We are coordinated and appreciate their support, but sometimes we make decisions independently.”
He stressed that the strikes were not aimed at Qatar as a nation but at Hamas operatives. “It was not an attack on Qatar; it was an attack on Hamas.
We are not against Qatar or any Arab country. Our target remains the terrorist organization,” Danon added.
The strikes came a day after a Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem killed six civilians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the operation in response.
However, the move has unsettled Washington. President Trump, who has long backed Netanyahu, publicly distanced himself from the decision.
“I’m not thrilled about the whole situation,” Trump told reporters in Washington.
“We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today.”
Trump clarified on social media that he was not consulted before the attack. “This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, not me,” he wrote.
While describing Qatar as a strong ally and close US partner, Trump added that eliminating Hamas remained a “worthy goal.”
Qatar, which hosts a major US airbase and has mediated several rounds of Israel-Hamas negotiations, condemned the strikes.
Its Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani warned the assault marked a “pivotal moment” and said the emirate reserved the right to respond.
Meanwhile, sources close to Hamas claimed that senior figures, including Khalil al-Hayya and former leader Khaled Meshaal, were inside the targeted building but survived.
AFP has been unable to reach them since the attack.
The Gaza war, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,219 people, has raged for nearly two years.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has left more than 64,600 Palestinians dead, mostly civilians, according to figures the UN considers credible.
Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, continues to play a central role in trying to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages.
For now, Israel insists its strike in Doha was the right call, while Trump’s rare criticism highlights the deepening strain between two close allies.
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