Israel attacks Qatar, making It 7th country Israel has bombed

DOHA, Qatar (MNTV) — Multiple explosions shook Doha on Tuesday evening, with smoke rising over the Katara district, in what authorities confirmed was an Israeli airstrike targeting senior Hamas officials in the Qatari capital. Witnesses described the blasts as sudden and powerful, spreading alarm across the city.

The Israeli military and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) said a “precise strike” was carried out against Hamas leaders, accusing them of orchestrating attacks.

In its statement, the IDF confirmed the operation was conducted in coordination with Shin Bet, pledging continued attacks to “defeat the Hamas terrorist organization.”

Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing Israeli officials, reported that the strike amounted to an assassination attempt on Hamas’s top leadership.

A Hamas source told Al Jazeera that the attack struck a negotiating team meeting in Doha, where officials were weighing a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal. However, said Hamas, everyone in the meeting was safe and no one was killed.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the strike, labeling it a “criminal attack” and “a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms.”

Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said the assault targeted residential buildings where Hamas political bureau members were housed. “Investigations are under way at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they become available,” he said.

Qatar is the 7th country which has been openly attacked by Israel in recent months, with many of Israel’s covert operations against other countries still not verified.

Al Jazeera correspondent Suhaib al-Assa reported that the strike hit a residential neighborhood rather than an isolated site. Security officials at the scene prioritized securing the area and assessing damage and casualties, describing the incident as “extremely sensitive.”

The attack marks the first publicly acknowledged Israeli strike on Qatari territory and comes amid fragile ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and the United States.

Israel has repeatedly walked away from the negotiations, but just hours before the strike, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had announced that Israel accepted the latest U.S. proposal.

The escalation follows recent threats by Israeli military leaders to target Hamas officials abroad. Last week, army chief Eyal Zamir vowed to pursue Hamas leaders overseas, recalling Israel’s assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this year.

Israel has in recent weeks expanded its military operations across the region, intensifying strikes in Gaza while also targeting Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. On Monday, a suspected Israeli drone attacked a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla docked in Tunisia.

Qatar has long served as a key mediator in hostage and ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Regional analysts warned the strike could undermine Doha’s role as a neutral facilitator and further destabilize diplomatic channels at a critical stage of the conflict.

The assault also comes as Israel pushes forward with a major military operation to seize Gaza City, issuing new evacuation orders to Palestinians in the enclave.