White House riticizes Israeli Strike in Qatar, Calls It ‘Unfortunate’

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, September 9th, 2025

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Anadolu Agency
WASHINGTON – The White House has described Israel’s airstrike on Hamas officials in Doha as an “unfortunate incident,” stressing that President Donald Trump strongly disagreed with the choice of location and conveyed his concerns directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“This morning, the Trump administration was notified by the U.S. military that Israel was attacking Hamas operatives located in a section of Doha, Qatar’s capital,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing. “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, does not advance Israel’s or America’s goals.”
Leavitt added that while the U.S. recognizes Israel’s objective of targeting Hamas leadership, the president views Qatar as a “valued partner and friend,” noting that the Gulf state has been actively engaged in mediation efforts. Trump, she said, “feels very badly about the incident” and assured Qatari leaders that such an episode would not recur.
The White House confirmed that Trump directed Special Envoy Steven Witkoff to communicate with Qatari officials and personally spoke to Doha’s leadership after the strike. However, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry denied receiving any prior notification.
Israel’s military defended its actions, saying it carried out a “precise strike” against senior Hamas figures. Qatar swiftly condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of international law” and a direct threat to its sovereignty.
Qatar, alongside Egypt and the U.S., has played a central role in mediating between Israel and Hamas since the October 2023 conflict began. Israel’s ongoing campaign in Gaza has killed more than 64,600 Palestinians and left the enclave facing famine.
International bodies continue to pursue legal action: the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, while Israel also faces genocide proceedings at the International Court of Justice.