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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that more strikes could occur in Qatar if the country continues to allow top Hamas officials to seek refuge within their country.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, Israel conducted an airstrike in Qatar earlier this week targeting a meeting of senior Hamas officials in the capital, Doha. The strike, which marked a rare Israeli operation on the soil of a close US ally, aimed to eliminate top figures within Hamas’ political leadership. While Israel has not officially confirmed the identities of those killed, Hamas announced that five of its members died in the strike, including the son of Khalil al-Hayya (Hamas’ exiled Gaza chief and lead negotiator) along with three of his bodyguards and the head of his office. Hamas claims that its top leaders, including al-Hayya himself, survived.

Getting into it: While speaking after the attack, Netanyahu remained unapologetic and reiterated his warning that similar strikes could be repeated if Hamas leaders are not expelled from Qatar. He argued that Israel had a moral obligation to pursue those responsible for the October 7 attacks, regardless of where they are located, comparing the operation in Doha to the US response to the 9/11 attacks. Netanyahu insisted that the presence of Hamas officials in Qatar poses a continued threat and accused the Gulf nation of financing and sheltering terrorists. “We went after the terrorist masterminds… in Qatar, which gives safe haven, harbors terrorists, finances Hamas,” he said, defending the decision as necessary and justified despite international backlash.

This move pissed off the United States. According to multiple reports, President Donald Trump had two phone calls with Netanyahu on the day of the strike. In the first, Trump was reportedly “furious” and demanded that Netanyahu never repeat such an operation. Trump told Netanyahu the strike was unacceptable and questioned what strategic gain it achieved, expressing concern about the broader fallout for US interests in the region. In public statements, Trump reaffirmed his support for eliminating Hamas but emphasized that Qatar plays an essential role as a mediator and has taken “brave risks” to help broker peace in Gaza. He warned that attacking a key US ally undermines both Israeli and American objectives.

Qatar, for its part, called the strike a “criminal attack” and accused Israel of violating its sovereignty and international law. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Netanyahu had “killed any hope” of securing the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. In response to the strike, Qatari officials have warned that the country may now reevaluate its security partnership with Washington, viewing the incident as a betrayal by both Israel and, by extension, the United States. It should be noted that Qatar’s International Media Office later issued a statement saying the US-Qatar relationship remains “stronger than ever.”

The fallout is also spreading internationally. European leaders, including officials in the UK and France, have condemned Israel’s decision to bomb a key diplomatic partner without consultation. Canada’s government has gone a step further, stating it is actively reevaluating its relationship with Israel, citing mounting concerns over repeated violations of international norms and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.