Trump Denies Approving Israeli Strike on Hamas Leaders in Doha
U.S. President Donald Trump denied authorizing Israel’s decision to target Hamas leaders in Doha, stating that the choice was made unilaterally by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He emphasized that the attack did not serve U.S. or Israeli interests and admitted he was “not happy” about the operation.
On Tuesday, Israel attempted to assassinate senior political leaders of Hamas in an airstrike on the Qatari capital, expanding the geographical scope of its military campaign in the Middle East. The strike triggered widespread condemnation both regionally and internationally, seen as a move likely to escalate tensions in an already volatile region.
Trump explained that he had dispatched his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar of the imminent attack, but acknowledged the warning came too late. Qatari officials denied this version, stating that the explosions were already underway in Doha when the American call was received, dismissing reports of an advance alert as “baseless.”
On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “The unilateral bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign state and a close ally of the United States that has been working courageously with us to mediate for peace, does not serve the objectives of Israel or America.” However, he added that “eliminating Hamas, which has exploited the suffering of Gaza’s population, remains a worthy goal.”
Hamas reported that five of its members were killed in the strike, including the son of its Gaza leader and Khalil al-Hayya, a senior negotiator and one of the movement’s most influential figures abroad.
The United States views Qatar as a crucial ally in the Gulf, particularly for its mediating role in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. Following the strike, Trump spoke with both Netanyahu and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, assuring them that “such an event will not happen again on their soil.”
Speaking later to reporters in Washington, Trump reiterated his discontent: “I’m not happy about the strike. It’s not a good situation. We want to secure the release of the hostages, but we are not pleased with how things turned out today.” Nearby, pro-Palestinian demonstrators chanted “Free Palestine” and “Stop arming genocide.”
Responding to criticism, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, defended his country’s actions, telling Israeli radio: “We do not always act according to U.S. interests. We coordinate with them, we appreciate their great support, but sometimes we take decisions and inform them later.” He stressed that “the strike did not target Qatar, but Hamas, which is a terrorist organization,” adding that it was too early to assess the results but insisting that “the decision was the right one.”
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with U.S. backing, has carried out a devastating military campaign on Gaza. The assault has killed tens of thousands, displaced the entire population of the strip, and triggered a famine-level humanitarian crisis. Many legal scholars and human rights experts argue that the campaign amounts to genocide. Israel claims its actions are self-defense following Hamas’s October 7 attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. In addition to Gaza, Israel has also conducted strikes in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Yemen during the ongoing war.
