The Israeli army has targeted Hamas officials in Doha, Qatar. Multiple explosions were reported in Qatar’s capital, Doha, this afternoon, followed by plumes of smoke that rose above an area where some embassies are located.
The Israeli military released a statement confirming that it and the Shin Bet intelligence service “recently carried out a targeted attack on the top leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.”
“The members of the leadership who were attacked led the terrorist organization’s activities for years, and are directly responsible for carrying out the October 7 massacre and waging the war against the State of Israel.”
Israeli military
It added that it will continue to act to “defeat the Hamas terrorist organisation.” The statement said that before the attack, “steps were taken to minimize harm to uninvolved people, including the use of precision weapons and additional intelligence information.”
The attack comes days after Israeli Army Chief, Eyal Zamir threatened to assassinate Hamas leaders living abroad.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Israel acted alone in its attack on Doha. “Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation,” Netanyahu’s office said in a social media post.
It added that Israel “initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.” Neither the Israeli military nor Netanyahu explicitly referred to the location of the attack in the Qatari capital in their statements.
Far-right Israeli official, Bezalel Smotrich praised the attack targeting Hamas’s leadership, calling it the “correct decision.” Smotrich said in a social media post, “Terrorists have no and will have no immunity from the long arm of Israel anywhere in the world.”
Israel’s Attack Condemned
In a statement, Majed al-Ansari, Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the country “condemns in the strongest terms” the attack, which he said was carried out on residential buildings housing several members of the Hamas political bureau.
He added that “this criminal attack” constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar.
“While strongly condemning this attack, the State of Qatar affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and its continued tampering with regional security, as well as any action targeting its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they become available.”
Majed al-Ansari
Saudi Arabia also condemned Israel’s attack on Qatar “in the strongest terms”, calling it “brutal Israeli aggression and the flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the sisterly State of Qatar.”
It also warned of “the grave consequences resulting from the Israeli occupation’s persistence in its criminal transgressions and its blatant violation of the principles of international law and all international norms.”
Additionally, senior diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash noted that the United Arab Emirates “stands wholeheartedly with our sisterly state of Qatar” and condemns “the treacherous Israeli attack that targeted it.”
Gargash noted that the security of the Arab Gulf states is “indivisible,” stressing that his country is in “full solidarity with [Qatar] in confronting this aggression.”
Moreover, a Spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry slammed the Israeli attack targeting Hamas officials in Doha as a “dangerous” violation of international law, according to Iranian media.
Iran’s foreign ministry Spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei told state TV, “This extremely dangerous and criminal action is a gross violation of all international rules and regulations, a violation of Qatar’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
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