US President Trump Disavows Israeli Airstrikes In Doha; Assures Qatar Of No Repeat

In the wake of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, US President Donald Trump has publicly distanced his administration from the incident, insisting the operation was executed independently by Israel.

“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social.

The US president added that although eliminating Hamas remains a shared strategic goal, bombing inside Qatar did not align with the interests of either Israel or the United States.

The White House instructed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to alert Qatari officials of the impending attack.

“President Trump immediately directed Special Envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a media briefing.

However, Qatar disputed this claim, asserting it received no warning. Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari posted on X, stating that the message from a US official arrived only after explosions had already begun 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,” Al Ansari wrote.

Strikes Target Hamas as Ceasefire Talks Continue

The Israeli military confirmed that it launched an airstrike in Doha on Tuesday. The strike targeted Hamas political leadership, who were reportedly meeting to discuss a US-brokered ceasefire proposal in Gaza.

Hamas stated that the attack did not harm any of its senior officials.

The rare Israeli strike on Qatari soil has drawn sharp international scrutiny. It occurred during sensitive negotiations related to the Gaza conflict. Attempting to calm diplomatic tensions, Trump expressed regret over the location of the strike.

“I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack,” he said, adding that he assured Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani that no further such incidents would occur.

Trump also directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalise the US-Qatar Defence Cooperation Agreement. This move signals Washington’s commitment to strengthening ties despite the controversy.

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