"Trump says Israel acted independently in strike on Hamas; U.S. had no role

Smoke rises in Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025.
Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Israel’s recent strike on Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar, was a decision made solely by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not by the Trump administration.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Trump wrote on social media. He added that eliminating Hamas, who “have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”

Trump said U.S. officials were notified by the military of the attack on Doha earlier on Tuesday. He assured that such an incident “will not happen again on their soil” and confirmed he had directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalise a defence cooperation agreement with Qatar.

Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, condemned the strike as a “reckless criminal act and a blatant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty and international law. He held Israel responsible for the consequences and called on the international community to “shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities” and hold those responsible accountable. Sheikh Tamim reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to protecting its security and sovereignty, while continuing to support regional partners and humanitarian initiatives aimed at strengthening international peace and stability.

Israel’s military confirmed that it carried out a “precise strike” targeting senior Hamas leadership. Hamas reported that five of its members were killed, while its negotiation delegation survived. Qatar, alongside Egypt and the U.S., has been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas over a potential prisoner swap and ceasefire.

The Qatari Prime Minister stressed that nothing would deter Qatar from its mediation role, describing it as “part of Qatari identity.” Officials added that U.S. authorities first warned Qatar about the strike approximately ten minutes after it began.

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