DOHA — Israel struck Hamas leaders in Qatar on Tuesday, sending shockwaves through Doha and widening a conflict that has already stretched across the Middle East.
Witnesses reported several loud explosions in the Qatari capital. Thick black smoke rose over the Legtifya petrol station, where a nearby residential compound — guarded since the Gaza war began — was hit.
An Israeli official confirmed to Reuters that the assault targeted Hamas figures based in Qatar, which has long hosted the group’s political leadership. Local broadcaster Al Jazeera, citing Hamas sources, said negotiators involved in Gaza ceasefire talks were among those targeted.
Israeli media reported that Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s exiled Gaza chief and a senior negotiator, was one of the main figures sought in the strike.
Qatar, which has acted as a mediator between Israel and Hamas during months of fighting, strongly condemned the attack. In a statement, Doha described it as a “cowardly act” and a “flagrant violation of international law.”
The explosions marked a rare escalation of violence into the Gulf. For years, Qatar has played a delicate balancing act, hosting Hamas officials while maintaining close security ties with Washington.
The strike underscores Israel’s expanding campaign against Hamas leadership, which has already reached Lebanon, Syria and beyond. But hitting Doha — a city that has positioned itself as a diplomatic hub — risks straining regional alliances and complicating negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Neither Hamas nor Qatari officials confirmed whether any senior leaders had been killed or injured.
For residents of Doha, the day ended in shock. “We’ve never heard blasts like this in our city before,” said one man who lives near the site. “It felt like the war had suddenly arrived here.”
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