Adnan Elbursh BBC Arabic Gaza affairs correspondent, reporting from Doha Hamas has had a base in the Qatari capital Doha since 2012.
‘My mind went straight back to the airbase strike’ – Doha resident Mary Litchfield UGC Hub & Investigations Residents in Doha have been telling us about the moment they heard the Israeli strike in the city earlier.
Trump feels ‘very badly’ about attack Trump says he feels “very badly” about the attack, as he views Qatar as a “strong ally and friend” of the US.
We told Qatar, but it was too late to stop the attack – Trump More now from that new Trump statement.
Starmer: Israeli strike on Doha risks ‘escalation across region’ UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned the Israeli strike on Qatar, writing in a post on X, external that it violates “Qatar’s sovereignty and risk further escalation across the region”.
The explosion evoked a “sense of panic,” according to a UK teacher in Doha.
Mary Litchfield.
Investigations and the UGC Hub.
A British teacher in Doha claims that he heard the explosions shortly after leaving work.
He tells the BBC, who wishes to remain anonymous, “We thought there was something wrong with the car,” until he heard another blast and realized it was explosives.
Like another resident we spoke with, the incident brought to mind Iran’s June strikes on a US military airbase in Doha.
“That feeling of panic, worry, and concern—you wonder, ‘oh God, is it happening again?'” was evoked.
According to him, it is “very scary” for young families. “You could see people freeze in the car park, the birds are all going crazy, [and] you realise you’re not alone and right to be worried,” he says.
It’s concerning because it’s the second time in a few months. When working remotely, there are always risks involved, but that doesn’t make it any simpler. “”.
For what reason do Hamas leaders negotiate in Qatar?
Elbursh, Adnan.
Doha-based BBC Arabic correspondent covering Gazan affairs.
Since 2012, the Qatari capital Doha has served as a base for Hamas.
In the years-long negotiations between Israel and Hamas, as well as in the ongoing conflict, Qatar has always been vital.
The Qataris had previously financed infrastructure and reconstruction projects in the Gaza Strip and backed Hamas leadership in Gaza prior to the war.
When critics accuse the Gulf state of “taking Hamas’s side,” Qatari foreign affairs officials have frequently retorted that the American administration’s demands were the reason for Hamas’s presence in Qatar.
The Qatari foreign ministry previously stated in a statement from November 2024 that “the main goal of the [Hamas] office in Qatar is to be a channel of communication.”. [which] has helped achieve a ceasefire in earlier phases.
A resident of Doha said, “My thoughts immediately returned to the airbase strike.”.
Mary Litchfield.
UGC Investigations & Hub.
Doha residents have been sharing with us their reactions to the news of the Israeli strike in the city earlier.
Asma was working in the West Bay area of the Qatari capital at a tower when she heard a banging sound.
She tells the BBC that it sounded like a demolition ball, but her “mind went straight back to the airbase strike” when she saw the smoke. Iran launched an attack on a US military installation in Doha in June as payback for US bombings of its nuclear facilities.
“I decided to call my kids to make sure they were home after seeing the smoke, and I left right away,” she says.
She explains that the area hit was central, making it “quite worrying” and that “everybody felt it in all different parts of Doha.”.
“Everyone had chosen to stay at home, so I noticed the roads were fairly empty on the way home. Meanwhile, everyone is waiting impatiently to hear the news. “”.
Helicopters and police cordons in Doha.
Azadeh Moshiri.
reporting by a correspondent in Doha.
Helicopters have been hovering over the area for hours, and roads leading to the location of Israel’s strike are still blocked off.
Despite the numerous explosions that occurred earlier today, the streets are now peaceful and heavily guarded.
The parliament of Qatar is just a fifteen-minute drive away. The area is a residential neighborhood with several embassies and upscale hotels.
Although Qatar has acknowledged that Israel’s strike was directed at “one of the residential headquarters of Hamas,” the residents of Doha we spoke with said it was a startling assault on a significant area of the capital.
Trump is’very bad’ about the attack.
Trump, who sees Qatar as a “strong ally and friend” of the US, says he feels “very badly” about the attack.
“I want ALL of the hostages, and the bodies of the dead, to be released, and this war to END, NOW!” he writes. “I also called Prime Minister Netanyahu following the attack. I was informed by the Prime Minister that he wishes to bring about peace. I think that this regrettable event may present a chance for peace. “.
The US president also claims to have spoken with Qatar’s prime minister and emir, thanking them for their “friendship and support” of the US.
Trump claims that he has instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to complete a “Defense Cooperation Agreement” with Qatar, adding, “I assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”.
Trump: We informed Qatar, but it was too late to halt the assault.
More from Trump’s recent remarks.
The decision to attack the Hamas leaders in Doha was “made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” he clarifies.
Bombing a US “sovereign nation and close ally” that “is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” according to the US president.
But, he adds, “eradicating Hamas, which has benefited from the suffering of Gaza’s citizens, is a worthy goal.”.
It was “too late to stop the attack,” Trump claims, but he “immediately directed” US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to “inform the Qataris of the impending attack” as soon as he learned of the Israeli attack.
Israeli strike on Doha could cause “escalation across region,” according to Starmer.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom denounced the Israeli strike on Qatar, stating that it violates “Qatar’s sovereignty and risk further escalation across the region.”.
Starmer is scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog tomorrow in Downing Street.
“The unacceptable situation in Gaza” and “action Israel must take to end the horrific suffering we’re witnessing” are issues that Starmer will bring up with the Israeli president, according to No 10.
According to a United Nations treaty, 60 Members of Parliament and peers are urging the government to bar Herzog from entering the United Kingdom in order to prevent him from being implicated in the genocide in Gaza.
What does the Middle East and Qatar now face?
Gardner, Frank.
reporter for security.
Iran launched a token attack on the US airbase at al-Udeid, just outside of Doha, in June, marking the second time in three months that the small, affluent nation of Qatar has been targeted by incoming missiles.
Within the ruling Al-Thani family, one of the wealthiest dynasties in the Gulf, some must be wondering why it makes sense to house a sizable US military base in addition to the leadership of a banned terrorist group.
Qatar is already occupied with using its enormous gas wealth to purchase strategic stakes in less risky businesses, such as real estate in London.
For the rest of the Middle East, what does this mean?
Qatar mediated and hosted the stalled peace negotiations in Gaza, but they have now abruptly stopped. That is bad news for the Israeli hostages, whose lives must be in even greater danger, and for the Gazan people, whose daily suffering goes on without a break.
Israel has already demonstrated that it can strike anywhere in the region—Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Yemen—with impunity if this US administration gives it the go-ahead.
However, even the Trump administration might not be able to handle the impact on Qatar. It’s likely that any retaliation in the area will target US interests rather than the more inaccessible Israeli ones.
Concerning history, costly risk? BBC reporters’ opinions on Israel’s strike.
flynn, Rachel.
reporter in real time.
Following Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, the BBC’s correspondents have been dissecting every detail and analyzing the broader ramifications in the hours since the incident.
Israel’s strike, according to security correspondent Frank Gardner, sets a concerning precedent for upcoming peace negotiations. He continues by saying that the Qataris are incensed because they have spent a great deal of time attempting to mediate an end to the conflict in Gaza.
The strike may be viewed as a costly gamble as concerns swirl throughout the Middle East, according to Paul Adams, a diplomatic correspondent.
According to International Editor Jeremy Bowen, the strike demonstrates unequivocally that Israel is moving forward at full speed on all fronts and has abandoned negotiations. He goes on to say that this is a war against Hamas everywhere, not just in Gaza.
Two days after Trump urged Hamas leaders to take his ceasefire plan into consideration, Wyre Davies, reporting from Jerusalem, says it has significantly escalated regional tensions.
As everyone watches to see what Trump will do next, State Department correspondent Tom Bateman from the US says he will need to control the fallout.
Nomia Iqbal, a correspondent for North America, adds that it is evident that the United States chose not to take any action to halt Israel’s attack.
Frank Gardner will be back soon to discuss potential future developments in the Middle East. Keep checking back for all the important updates and analysis.
“The explosions in Doha reminded me of what we called a fire belt in Gaza.”.
Adnan Elbursh. .
Reporting from Doha, the BBC’s Arabic correspondent for Gaza affairs.
When I heard the explosions, I was in my office. I was unsure of what to think as I stared out of the windows, bewildered.
I initially believed it to be a powerful thunderclap or some other natural occurrence. The explosions we heard a few months ago when Iranian missiles targeted the American military base in Doha, al-Udeid, came back to me.
“Could it be Iran again?” I asked myself.
A fire belt, as we call it in Gaza, is when the Israeli military drops multiple missiles in one area in a brief period of time, producing sounds very similar to what I heard today, with more than ten consecutive explosions occurring in about two minutes. More explosions followed shortly after.
My wife called to ask what was going on with all the bombing, and my kids were scared at home. We were all shocked and perplexed, and nobody knew what was going on.
It’s a costly gamble if the strike didn’t work.
Adams, Paul.
reporting from Jerusalem as a diplomat.
Israel has made public the remarks made by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to air force pilots just prior to today’s operation.
Lt Gen Zamir informed the pilots that by eliminating the Hamas leaders, they were “settling a moral and ethical account on behalf of all the victims of 7 October.”.
Hamas, however, claims that none of its top leaders have been killed. It might take a while for the full picture to become apparent.
The government here will decide that the diplomatic and political price was worth it if Israel is successful in killing Khalil al-Hayya and his lieutenants.
Despite the fact that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s statement is somewhat conflicting, this cost includes inciting indignation throughout the Gulf, receiving censure from longstanding allies like Britain and France, and even upsetting some people in the White House.
However, the mission might begin to appear like an expensive gamble if it did not yield the desired outcome for Israel.
The United States did not take advantage of any opportunity to halt Israel’s attack.
Iqbal (Nomia).
correspondent for North America.
The harsh criticism of Israel in the White House statement is striking. It’s easy to understand why, too.
According to reports, Hamas leaders were singled out during the discussion of Trump’s proposals, much like what transpired between the US and Iran in June.
But there’s a big difference: Qatar is a US ally and is home to a vital US airbase. In addition to promising billions of dollars in investment, it controversially gave Trump a jet.
A ceasefire was being mediated by the country, which was crucial because Trump said it was almost ready.
The United States acknowledges that it was informed, notwithstanding the criticism.
Thus, the United States chose not to use its military support for Israel as a means of halting the attack.
Following the White House briefing, questions still remain.
Bernd Debusmann Jr.
reporting from the White House.
There are as many questions as there are answers following Karoline Leavitt’s briefing at the White House.
The chronology and order of events that resulted in the US being informed of the attack are still unknown to us.
She acknowledged that the White House was informed of the attack by the US military, but it is unclear if the Pentagon was informed before the strike began or while it was underway.
We also can’t say with certainty why the administration thinks this could be “an opportunity for peace” or more talks, since the strike seems to have targeted members of Hamas’ political team.
However, when she cited Trump’s statement that the strike does not “advance” US or Israeli goals, there was a tinge of annoyance from the podium.
Although she acknowledged that Trump had spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu, we have not yet been told in precise terms whether or not his Israeli counterpart was irritated or dissatisfied.
The Qataris are incensed and might ask Washington pointed questions.
Gerry Frank.
reporter for security.
It’s debatably more significant who was targeted in this strike and what that means for Middle Eastern security going forward than who was killed or injured.
Israel quickly acknowledged that it was responsible for the attack, claiming that Khalil al-Hayya, the main Hamas negotiator stationed in Qatar, was the target.
Negotiators, however, claim that even before the Israeli air force struck, Hamas’s organizational structure in Gaza was so dispersed and exhausted that it was getting harder for the group’s leadership in Qatar to communicate decisions made in that peaceful Gulf state to fugitive fighters who were hiding in the debris of Gaza.
The attack has angered the Qataris. They have devoted a great deal of time and energy to mediating the end of the Gaza conflict and the release of Israeli hostages that Hamas has taken.
It’s difficult to see how their efforts, at least not on Qatari soil, can continue now, despite the fact that they have produced some results in the past. This could result in retaliation against US interests in the area, and Washington was forewarned of this.
Since the Al-Thani family controls the largest US base in the region, which serves as the headquarters for all US military air operations, Washington may have some difficult questions for the ruling family in Qatar.
