Israel has struck Hamas targets in Qatar, escalating its conflict with the Palestinian militant group by targeting its political leadership in the Gulf state for the first time.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it had conducted a “precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organisation” in Doha, where the group’s political bureau has been based for more than a decade.
Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of international law,” warning that it “will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the continuous tampering with the security of the region.”
Israeli officials told Reuters the strike was aimed at senior Hamas leaders, including Khalil al-Hayya, the movement’s exiled Gaza chief and a key negotiator in talks with Israel and international mediators.
The unprecedented strike on Qatari soil marks a sharp escalation in Israel’s campaign against Hamas, with regional implications for both diplomacy and security.
