Israel Launches Airstrike in Doha Targeting Hamas Officials

World

Doha, Qatar – Loud explosions were heard in Doha late Monday after Israel confirmed carrying out an airstrike targeting senior Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital.

The Israeli military, in coordination with domestic security agency Shin Bet, said its air force struck residential buildings said to be housing members of Hamas’ Political Bureau. It claimed those targeted had led the organisation’s activities abroad for years and vowed to continue operations against Hamas.

Footage broadcast by Reuters showed smoke rising over Doha’s Katara district in the aftermath of the strike. Residents reported multiple blasts shaking nearby neighborhoods.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack in the “strongest terms,” calling it a “cowardly assault” that violated its sovereignty and international law. In a statement, it confirmed that security forces, civil defense, and emergency authorities were deployed immediately to contain the damage and ensure public safety. Investigations are ongoing.

“This criminal assault poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar,” the ministry said, warning it would not tolerate “reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security.”

The attack comes just days after Israeli Army Chief Eyal Zamir threatened to assassinate Hamas leaders abroad, and hours after Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the government had accepted a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

No official casualty figures have yet been released, though reports suggest the strike targeted key figures in Hamas’ leadership.

The unprecedented assault on Doha marks a dramatic escalation in Israel’s campaign against Hamas beyond Gaza, raising fears of widening instability across the Gulf region.