US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that the recent Israeli airstrike on Qatar was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not by the United States.
“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu. It was not a decision made by me,” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, which he owns.
Trump added that he instructed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to warn Qatar of the attack. “He informed them, but unfortunately it was too late to prevent it,” Trump said.
The statement came after Qatar’s Foreign Ministry rejected claims by the White House that it had prior notice. Qatar said it only received messages from a U.S. official as the explosions were happening.
Trump said he spoke with Netanyahu after the strike. The Israeli leader expressed a desire to “make peace,” according to Trump. He also said he called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to assure him that a similar attack would not happen again.
Trump criticized unilateral strikes on a U.S. ally. “Bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally, that is helping broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” he wrote, echoing a prior statement from a White House spokesperson.
He also directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to complete a defense cooperation agreement with Qatar.
Later in the day, Trump told reporters in Washington, D.C., that he was not happy with the situation. “It’s not a good situation. We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about how this happened today,” he said.
Israel confirmed it carried out a “precise strike targeting the senior leadership” of Hamas in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Qatar condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of international law” and a threat to its sovereignty.
Qatar, along with Egypt and the U.S., has been mediating between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement.
Hamas said its leadership survived the airstrike. Suhail al-Hindi, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, called the attack a “cowardly assassination attempt.” He confirmed that Hammam al-Hayya, son of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, and his office director, Jihad Lubad, were killed along with several aides.
The strike occurred during a meeting of Hamas negotiators discussing a U.S. proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin survived the attack. Al-Hindi said both Israel and the U.S. are responsible for the strike.
The Gaza conflict has intensified since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel. Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed over 64,600 Palestinians and caused severe humanitarian suffering, including famine in the enclave.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the region.
The recent airstrike on Qatar has raised concerns about escalation beyond Gaza and Israel. Analysts warn that attacks on sovereign allies like Qatar could complicate ongoing peace efforts and regional stability.
