Israel’s strike in Doha sparks US-Qatar rift as Trump claims prior warning

Tensions flared in the Gulf after Israel launched an airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas negotiators, leaving five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer dead. The Trump administration claimed it had notified Qatari officials beforehand, but Doha strongly refuted the claim, accusing Israel of violating its sovereignty and endangering regional stability.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Donald Trump had directed his special envoy Steve Witkoff to alert Qatar of the strike. She added that while the attack was “unfortunate,” it could still “serve as an opportunity for peace.”

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, dismissed the assertion, stating that the only call received from Washington came “during the sound of the explosions.” Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari condemned the attack as “cowardly,” calling it a breach of sovereignty and international law. The Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, spoke with Trump after the incident, denouncing the Israeli strike as reckless and warning that it threatened regional stability.

Hamas confirmed that its main negotiating team survived the strike but accused Israel of deliberately sabotaging ceasefire talks. The group also held the US responsible, saying Washington’s support enabled Israel’s aggression.

Trump, who has been pushing a new ceasefire plan, had warned Hamas days earlier that failure to accept his terms would have “consequences.” He later said the incident could create a path to peace.

The strike has rattled the region, with analysts warning it undermines Qatar’s role as a key US ally and mediator. Qatar, designated a “major non-NATO ally” by Washington in 2022, hosts the Al Udeid airbase, the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Observers noted that the attack, just kilometers from the base, raised alarming questions about Israel’s actions and Washington’s stance.

Khalil Jahshan of the Arab Center Washington DC said the incident “reduced to nothing” Qatar’s ally status with the US, while former US diplomat Nabeel Khoury called the strike shocking and warned it could chill future diplomacy. Regional powers including Saudi Arabia and the UAE may now face pressure to respond, given fears that the attack sets a dangerous precedent.

As the fallout grows, Qatar has vowed to take “all necessary measures” to defend its sovereignty, underscoring the rising risk of escalation in a region already strained by the Gaza war.