Israeli Strike on Hamas in Qatar Shakes Gulf Allies and Tests U.S. Ties

TDT | Manama

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Israel carried out an unprecedented airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, a key U.S. ally mediating ceasefire talks. The attack targeted Hamas’ exiled political leadership, sending plumes of smoke over the city and alarming Gulf states.

Qatar, home to the U.S.’s largest Middle East military base and designated a “major non-NATO ally,” had assumed its security status would prevent such attacks. Yet Israel struck while Hamas leaders were reportedly meeting to discuss a ceasefire, raising doubts about Washington’s protection and the reliability of U.S. guarantees.

The strike has reverberated across the Gulf, with the UAE and other Arab nations condemning the attack. Analysts warn the incident undermines Israel’s regional normalization plans, intensifies Gulf concerns about security, and complicates negotiations to end the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.