Intel Brief: Israeli attack on Hamas officials in Doha
- laure7549
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Date: 09/09/2025 (17:00 UTC+2)
Where? Doha, Qatar
What happened?
On 09/09/2025 around 15:00, it was reported that several blasts were heard in the Katara district of the Qatari capital Doha. In several photos and videos circulating online, the smoke and damage to buildings is visible.
Around 15:10, it was reported that an Israeli official told Axios correspondent Barak Ravid that the explosion in Doha was an assasination attempt targeting senior Hamas officials.
At 15:11, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli Security Agency (ISA) announced that a ‘precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization’ had been conducted. This attack came as the negotiators were meeting to consider the latest ceasefire proposal put forth by the US.
That Israel is targeting Hamas abroad does not come as a surprise. Last week, on 31/08/2025, IDF chief Eyal Zamir warned that Israel “would reach them [Hamas leaders abroad] too”.
At 15:30, Majed Al Ansari, spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that the country "condemns [the attack] in the strongest terms”.
At 15:52, it was reported that the US declined to comment on the attack.
At 15:57, a Hamas source reported to Al Jazeera that no Hamas official was killed in the attack. Several other sources however claim the opposite, and state that Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin were killed. Neither statement has been confirmed at the time of publication.
At 16:12, in a social media post, Netanyahu’s office said that Israel acted alone in the attack and takes full responsibility.
One of the strikes was geolocated and confirmed through our analysis to have targeted a building in the vicinity of 25°21'25.1" N, 51°30'34.6" E in the West Bay Lagoon area of Doha.
Analysis
The Israeli strike on Hamas leadership in Doha represents a major escalation in the broader conflict between Israel and its adversaries. By conducting such an operation on Qatari soil, Israel has openly violated international law and Qatar’s sovereignty. The action is unlikely to be received positively by the international community, specifically with the recent tensions surrounding certain European countries taking a harder stance against Israel on the eve of the UN General Assembly.
The key question is what comes next. Qatar is expected to limit its response to strong diplomatic condemnation. The country has always sought to balance its regional relationships and avoid direct confrontation, as exemplified by its reaction to the recent Iranian missile strikes on the US’ Al Udeid Air Base, which prompted solely formal condemnations and a deterioration in Qatar-Iran relations. Hamas may be inclined to retaliate, but its operational capacity to do so remains limited at most.
A further consequence of the attack is that Hamas leadership abroad will likely be forced underground even further, at least partially. What remains to be seen is how this will play out in other nations where Hamas has a presence, such as Turkey. It is improbable that Israel would extend similar operations in the country: Ankara is a powerful regional actor and Israel has little to gain and much to lose in a direct clash with the country.
This attack likely serves as a demonstration of power by Israel, signaling to Hamas and other adversaries that they are vulnerable anywhere. In that sense, this strike serves not only as a tactical operation but also as a strategic signal of deterrence, underlining the willingness of Israel to pursue its enemies across the border, even at the expense of diplomatic fallout.
If the situation escalates further in the Middle East, this could cause serious disruption for aviation. At the time of publication, Doha International Airport (DIA/OTBD) remains open and there have been no reported disruptions to air traffic.
Dyami is actively monitoring the situation.