Israel conducts 'precise strike' on Hamas leadership in Qatar: Officials...

Israel has conducted a strike in Doha targeting senior Hamas leadership at a residential headquarters on Tuesday, according to separate statements from Israeli and Qatari officials. "For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization's operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said airstrikes targeting Hamas leadership in Doha were "completely justified in light of the fact that this Hamas leadership was the one who initiated and organized the October 7 massacre, and has not stopped launching murderous actions against the State of Israel and its citizens since then, including taking responsibility for the murder of our citizens in yesterday's attack in Jerusalem." Netanyahu's office said the action against top Hamas leadership was a "wholly independent Israeli operation." "Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility," Netanyahu's office said. Meanwhile, Qatar's Ministry of the Interior confirmed that sounds heard in Doha were due to the targeting of one of Hamas' residential headquarters. Qatar condemned what it said was an Israeli attack on Doha in a statement on social media. "The State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the cowardly Israeli attack targeting the residential headquarters of several members of the Hamas Political Bureau in the Qatari capital, Doha. 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," a spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X. Qatar said its agencies immediately responded to the incident. "While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this attack, it affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior, its continued tampering with regional security, or 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," the spokesperson said. The U.S. Embassy in Doha has issued a shelter-in-place order for their facilities due to the missile strikes. "U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place and monitor USEmbassyDoha social media for updates," the embassy said in a statement on X. A U.S. defense official said, "We're aware of these reports but do not have any additional information to provide." "U.S. forces did not participate in the strikes," according to a U.S. official. Qatar is home to the largest U.S. military base in the region. Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by Iran in June in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with Qatari forces helping the U.S. to intercept the missiles. Hamas leadership and its primary negotiators have been based in Doha for years while trying to get a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The IDF did not provide a location for where the attack was conducted. It's also unclear whether any target was killed in the strike. "Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence," the IDF said. World leaders condemned Israel's attack on Doha, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "We are just learning about the Israeli attacks in Qatar, a country that has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. I condemn this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar. All parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it," Guterres said. "The evidence is clear. Excessive military spending does not guarantee peace. It often undermines it, fueling arms race, deepening mistrust, and diverting resources from the very foundations of stability. A more secure world begins by investing at least as much in fighting poverty as we do in fighting wars," he said. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman condemned Israel's attack targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, calling it a "criminal act" and a "flagrant violation of international laws," in a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency. The Crown Prince called the Emir of Qatar after the attack, affirming his "full support" for Qatar and his condemnation of the attack, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Iran also condemned the attack, calling it a "continuation of the crimes" Israel "has committed by violating all norms and international rules," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement in Farsi. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.