Israeli Airstrikes Hit Senior Hamas Leaders in Qatar

Israeli Air Force strikes targeted senior leaders of the Hamas terror group in Qatar. The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed they struck figures who had long directed Hamas operations and were behind the October 7th massacre. They say they used precision weapons and intelligence to minimize civilian casualties. The joint statement said those struck had long directed the organization’s activities and were directly responsible for the October 7 massacre and the war against Israel. The name of this latest operation is reportedly ‘Assembly of Judgment.’ A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 that Israel carried out a strike in Qatar with the approval of U.S. President Donald Trump. The report said the operation targeted a meeting attended by longtime Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, who survived a 1997 Israeli assassination attempt in Jordan.  Arab media reports claim that four other Hamas officials were killed in the strike as well. Israel stressed that operations against Hamas will continue until the group is defeated. Military officials said the Israeli Air Force used more than ten fighter jets and dropped over ten bombs in the strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar.

Read part of the joint Announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. This is a translation from the original Hebrew to English:

Tuesday afternoon, in light of an operational opportunity, and in consultation with all security establishment heads, and with full backing, the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister decided to implement the directive that was given last night to the IDF and the ISA, which did so with precision and in an optimal manner.

The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister believed that the action was fully justified given the fact that it was this Hamas leadership that initiated and organized the October 7th massacre, and – since then – has not ceased from launching murderous operations against the State of Israel and its citizens, including taking responsibility for the murder of our citizens in yesterday’s (Monday’s) terrorist attack in Jerusalem.

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The White House condemned Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying President Donald Trump had warned Qatar in advance. After the attack, Trump called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, according to Leavitt, told the president that he “wants to make peace, and quickly.”

Reading from a statement, Leavitt said Israel had “unilaterally bombed inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace.” She added that Trump “feels very badly about the location of this attack,” while still believing that “eliminating Hamas…is a worthy goal.”

Trump also spoke to Qatar’s emir and prime minister, thanking them for their friendship and assuring them that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”

Hamas claimed the Israeli strike in Doha was aimed at its delegation reviewing a U.S. ceasefire proposal, arguing that the attack “proves Netanyahu and his government are not interested in any agreement.”

The group acknowledged that five members were killed: Himam al-Hayya, son of senior Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya; Jihad Labad Abu Bilal, director of Khalil al-Hayya’s office; and three aides described as advisers or bodyguards — Abdullah Abu Khalil, Muaman Abu Omar, and Ahmad Abu Malek.

While insisting Israel failed to eliminate its top negotiators, Hamas offered no evidence they had survived — a notable omission given the group’s history of sometimes delaying confirmation of senior leaders’ deaths for months.

According to initial reports, a civilian vehicle was fired upon from another passing car near the Yad Mordechai Junction in the Gaza border area. The driver was not injured, though his car was hit by gunfire. Security forces are now searching for the vehicle involved in the shooting.

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, denounced Israel’s deadly strike on Hamas in Doha, calling it a “blatant attack” and warning that his country “reserves the right to respond.” He described the incident as a “pivotal moment” for the region, asserting that it calls for a reaction from neighboring states.

Despite the strike, Al-Thani stressed that Qatar would continue its mediation efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas. “Nothing will deter us from continuing this mediation in the region,” he said, even though diplomatic sources had earlier suggested that Qatar might temporarily pause its initiatives.