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Israel escalated its war against Hamas on Tuesday, launching an assassination strike against Hamas’s political leadership in Qatar. The move appeared to end any efforts to release hostages through negotiation, and quickly drew condemnation across the region.
The White House said President Trump was dismayed by the location of the strike, on a key U.S. ally in the region. The administration was made aware of the strike shortly before it was carried out.
Qatar accused Israel of violating international norms and laws, stating the operation presented a threat to the “security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that before the strike, measures were “taken” to “mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence.”
Here are five things to know about the strike:
Trump says strike not in US interests
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday quoted the president saying that Israel’s strike in Qatar is not in the U.S.’s interests and that he “feels very bad” about the location of the attack.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and greatly taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt told reporters during a Tuesday press briefing.
“The President views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” Leavitt added. “President Trump wants all of the hostages in Gaza and the bodies of the dead released and this war to end now.”
The strike was condemned by France and the United Kingdom, two close U.S. allies, both of whom have announced plans to recognize the independent state of Palestine.
“Today’s Israeli strikes on Qatar are unacceptable, whatever the reason. I express my solidarity with Qatar and its Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani. Under no circumstances should the war spread throughout the region,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the strike it violated Qatar’s “sovereignty” and risks further escalating tensions in the region.
“The priority must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a huge surge in aid into Gaza,” Starmer said. “This is the only solution towards long-lasting peace.”
Hamas says top leaders survived; 6 killed
Hamas claimed that its top negotiators in Doha survived the attack, but that five of its members were killed on Tuesday.
Israel killed Himam al-Hayya, the son of Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya; Jihad Labad Abu Bilal, who was al-Hayya’s office head; along with three “associates,” Abdullah Abu Khalil, Ahmad Abu Malek and Muaman Abu Omar, the militant group said in a statement.
The strike also killed a member of Qatar’s internal security force, Bader Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari, while others were injured, according to Qatar’s Ministry of Interior.
The strike took place a day after a shooting in Jerusalem, where six people were killed by a Palestinian terrorist. Hamas, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government, praised the attack, but it did not claim credit.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the attack was “wholly” an independent operation, conceived and conducted by the IDF. The office added that Israel “takes full responsibility.”
Republicans, Democrats divided over strike
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, put his support behind Israel’s strike in Qatar.
“I would say, that if you’re a leader of Hamas and had anything to do with the invasion of Israel, it is a very, very dangerous position to be in because Israel is intent on eliminating all those people, just as we did when we entered World War II and decided that the Nazi’s couldn’t exist anymore as a military organization or a political organization anything else.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said of the strikes “I’m not particularly troubled by that. Israel deserves to be able to take out Hamas.”
The GOP responses stood in contrast to most initial reactions from Democrats, who warned it risked escalating conflict in the region and endangering the lives of hostages held by Hamas.
“I unequivocally condemn Israel’s attack on Qatar, a neutral nation that has mediated peace talks for nearly two years between Israel and Hamas,” said Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn), ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
“This unprovoked attack on the nation of Qatar is a flagrant violation of international law that harms prospects for peace between Israel and Hamas and jeopardizes the return of Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity.”
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned Tuesday while on CNN that Israeli military action “diminishes the prospects” of returning hostages, particularly those who are still alive.
“So that undercuts our ability to be an interlocutor and someone that can help moderate a peace,” Reed told CNN host Dana Bash.
At least one Democrat appeared pleased with the strike. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), a staunch backer of Israel, shared a GIF of a happy Winnie-the-Pooh on X in response to the news.
Arab world erupts in anger
Qatar condemned the strikes as a blatant violation of its sovereignty and was backed up by Saudi Arabia, another key U.S. partner in the region.
Riyadh condemned “brutal Israeli aggression” and “the blatant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar.” Between 2017 and 2021, Saudi Arabia led a blockade against the oil-rich gulf power.
“The Kingdom affirms its full solidarity and support for Qatar, placing all its capabilities at its disposal to assist in any measures it may take, while warning of the grave consequences of the Israeli occupation’s persistent criminal assaults and its blatant violations of the principles of international law and all international norms,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Kuwait and Oman reupped their solidarity with Qatar, while the UAE characterized the strike as “serious attack on international law” and the United Nations Charter.
Additionally, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt condemned the attack, with Cairo, a key player in mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas, arguing Jerusalem is undermining efforts to diffuse tensions in the Middle East.
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres also spoke out against the strike, saying “I strongly condemn the Israeli attacks in Qatar – a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty & territorial integrity.”
Extinguishes hopes for hostages, ceasefire deal
The Israeli strike could be the final nail in the coffin for ceasefire and hostage release talks that had stalled after Trump’s special envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, walked away from negotiations in July, blaming Hamas as the obstacle to the deal.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing families of hostages held by Hamas, said they worried over retaliation for the nearly 20 living hostages still in Hamas captivity, or danger to their lives from an Israeli offensive.
“The price for the 48 hostages could be unbearable. The living hostages could be murdered at any moment and the deceased could disappear forever,” the group said in a statement. Hamas is holding the bodies of 28 hostages.
“The time has come to end the war. We demand that the Israeli government present us with an organized plan for a comprehensive agreement to return all 48 hostages.”
The end of talks will likely pave the way for the Israeli military to push ahead on its plans to take over Gaza City, an operation that was approved last month and requires the call-up of nearly 60,000 Israeli reservists.
“As long as there was a negotiation, the door was open. The IDF could not go and strike as hard as they can because in any given time could have been a deal and withdrew forces back,” said Itsana Darshan-Leitner, a lawyer with the Israeli civil rights organization Shurat Ha Din, which brings cases against sponsors of terrorist acts to court.
On Tuesday, the IDF began warning Gazans to evacuate Gaza City ahead of their planned offensive.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he was “tired of negotiating with Hamas.”
“Lay down your weapons. Safe Passage, leave, start a new future for the Palestinians. That’s it. Turn over the hostages. Turn over the hostages, you live,” he said.
