Israel's decision to strike Qatar was made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and not by Trump's administration, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (9 September). He added that a unilateral attack on Qatar does not serve American or Israeli interests.
Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike in Qatar on Tuesday, escalated its military action in the Middle East. The strike was widely condemned in the Middle East and beyond as an act that could further escalate tensions in a region already on edge.
"Well, I'm not thrilled. I'm not thrilled about it" Trump said in Washington D.C. adding, "I'll be giving a full statement tomorrow (Wednesday). But I will tell you this, I was very unhappy about it. Very unhappy about every aspect. And we've got to get the hostages back. Very unhappy about the way that went down."
Trump said he directed U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to warn Qatar the attack was coming but that it was too late to stop the strike. However, Qatar contradicted such claims from the White House, saying reports it got a heads-up before the attack were false and a phone call from a U.S. official came when blasts were already being heard in the Qatari capital, Doha.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "a wholly independent Israeli operation."
"Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility," he said in a statement released by his office.
Eyewitnesses reported loud explosions and plumes of smoke rising over the Qatari capital. Qatar's Interior Ministry confirmed the attack, saying specialised teams had secured the site and that "the situation is safe."
Hamas said five of its members were killed in the Israeli attack in Doha, including the son of Hamas's exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya.
International reaction
The strike drew swift condemnation from Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict that hosts Hamas's political bureau. Its Foreign Ministry called the attack a "serious threat" to the security of citizens and residents and a violation of its sovereignty, stating that investigations into the strike are underway at the highest level.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the strike as a "flagrant violation" of Qatar's sovereignty.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit strongly condemned the Israeli attacks on civilian neighborhoods in Doha, reaffirming the League's full solidarity with Qatar in the face of the aggression.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denounced the strike as "extremely dangerous, criminal and in violation of the UN Charter," saying it was part of Israel's "continued crimes" against international law.
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other countries also condemned the strikes.
Russia also condemned the strike in Qatar's capital and urged all parties to refrain from actions that would further escalate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Russia considers this incident a gross violation of international law and the UN Charter, an encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of an independent state, and a step leading to further escalation and destabilisation of the situation in the Middle East," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"Such methods of fighting those whom Israel considers its enemies and opponents deserve the strongest condemnation, " it said
Washington counts Qatar as a strong Gulf ally. Qatar has been a mediator in trying to arrange a deal for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group in Gaza, for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and for a plan on a post-conflict Gaza.
“I think the president is definitely engaging in some damage control. He clearly understands and hears the anger that Qatar has expressed about Israel's attack,” Mona Yacoubian, Senior Adviser and Director Of The Middle East Program at the Center For Strategic And International Studies (CSIS), told Reuters on Tuesday.
"I think with this attack, many in the region are questioning how much they can rely on the United States for its security and how credible the United States is as an interlocutor,” Yacoubian said. “And in particular, how much is the U.S. actually able to restrain Israel?”
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