The smoke rising after the explosions in the capital of Qatar, Doha, on September 9, 2025, after the Israeli attacks that targeted the high-ranking leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas Photo: Jacqueline Penney / AFP / Profimedia
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed US President Donald Trump that Israel was planning to attack Hamas leaders in Qatar, before last week's stroke, Axios wrote, citing Israeli officials, according to Reuters.
The White House reported that it was notified only after the missiles were already launched, which would not have given Trump the chance to block the attack.
However, Axios notes, on the basis of seven Israeli officials, that the American administration knew earlier, even though the interval to intervene would have been very short.
Several strong explosions were heard on Tuesday in Doha, the capital of Qatar, the Israeli armed forces and Shin Bet confirming that blows have been launched on the city that they said were the leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization. Qatar denounced a “criminal assault of Israel.”
What Trump said after attack
The spokeswoman for the White House, Karoline Leavitt, said that the place of attack, in a residential neighborhood in the capital of Qatar, Doha, is “unhappy”.
“This morning, the Trump administration was informed by the United States army that Israel is attacking Hamas, who, unfortunately, was in an area of Qatar's capital,” she told reporters, in a press briefing at the White House.
“Unilateral bombing inside the Qatar, a sovereign nation and a close ally of the United States, which makes considerable efforts and courageously assumes risks with us to mediate peace, does not promote the goals of Israel or America,” said Karoline Leavitt.
However, Trump's statement, carefully formulated and read by Leavitt, clarified that “eliminating Hamas” was a “worthy goal” and did not condemn the actions of Israel.
Leavitt said that Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attack, along with the Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar.
Netanyahu “told President Trump that he wants to do peace and quickly, and President Trump believes that this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace,” added the white house spokesman.
In his discussion with Qatarezi, Trump “assured him that such a thing will not happen in their territory,” Leavitt said.
