Israel targets Hamas leadership in military strikes on Qatar, officials say

DOHA: Israel launched an audacious attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar on Tuesday, expanding its military actions that have ranged across the Middle East to include the Gulf Arab state where the Palestinian Islamist group has long had its political base.

Qatar, which has acted as a mediator alongside Egypt in talks on a ceasefire in the almost two-year-old war in Gaza, condemned the action as "cowardly" and called it a flagrant violation of international law.

Two Hamas sources told Reuters that Hamas officials in the ceasefire negotiating team survived the attack.

Israeli officials told Reuters the strike was aimed at top Hamas leaders including Khalil al-Hayya, its exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator.

Several blasts were heard in Qatar's Doha, Reuters witnesses said. Plumes of black smoke were billowing from the city's Legtifya petrol station. Next door to the petrol station is a small residential compound that has been guarded by Qatar’s emiri guard 24 hours a day since the beginning of the Gaza conflict.

Ambulances and at least 15 police and unmarked government cars thronged the streets around the blast site an hour after the strike.

Israel has killed several top Hamas leaders since the Palestinian group attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has also launched airstrikes and other military action in Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Yemen in the course of the Gaza conflict.

In Lebanon, it attacked the heavily armed Iran-backed group Hezbollah and in Yemen it launched air strikes on the Iran-aligned Houthi group. Both groups have launched strikes on Israel during the Gaza conflict.

An Israeli official confirmed to Reuters that Israel had carried out an attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar. Qatar's Al Jazeera television, citing a Hamas source, said the attack was aimed at Hamas Gaza ceasefire negotiators.

The assault is likely to deal a serious, if not fatal blow to efforts to reach a ceasefire, especially since it took place in the Gulf Arab country Qatar, which has hosted several rounds of talks.