The IDF said the Israeli Air Force carried out a strike in the heart of Doha, the Qatari capital, in an attempt to eliminate the leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization. Explosions were reported in one of the city's neighborhoods.
According to the IDF and the Shin Bet security agency, the targeted strike was aimed at senior Hamas leaders who have directed the group's activities for years. The army said those leaders were directly responsible for the October 7 massacre and for overseeing the ongoing war against Israel.
A senior Israeli official told Israel Hayom that the strike in Qatar targeted the Hamas leadership, including Khalil al-Hayya and Jabarin. He said Israel is awaiting the results of the strike. According to the official, there is consensus within Israel's political and military leadership on the operation.
Prime Minister's Office:
Today's action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation.
Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 9, 2025
The military emphasized that steps were taken ahead of the strike to minimize harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and additional intelligence.
Video: Series of explosions in Doha
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said it was a cowardly Israeli strike that hit the residential headquarters of several members of Hamas' political bureau, calling it a criminal attack that violates international laws and conventions and poses a dangerous threat to the security of Qataris and others present in Qatar.
The leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization is based in the city, with its offices located in the Al-Qatara neighborhood in the heart of the capital.
This is an updating story.
