Qatar on Tuesday flatly rejected a White House assertion that it had been warned ahead of an Israeli airstrike in Doha that killed several Hamas members and a Qatari officer, casting doubt on Washington’s account of events and exposing rare daylight between the allies.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters the Trump administration was informed by the U.S. military of the imminent strike, which she said targeted Hamas negotiators operating in the Qatari capital. She added that President Trump directed his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to alert Qatari officials before the attack.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt said. “However, eliminating Hamas…is a worthy goal.”
Qatar, however, painted a different picture. Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said claims of advance warning were “completely false.” He insisted the only call from U.S. officials came after the strikes had already begun, as explosions reverberated across Doha.
The strike killed five Hamas members, though its lead negotiating team survived. Qatar confirmed one of its security officers was among the dead. Doha denounced the attack as “cowardly” and a violation of its sovereignty.
The Gulf nation has played a central role as mediator in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, brokering a temporary pause in November 2023 and a six-week truce earlier this year. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have publicly praised its efforts.
The conflicting narratives raise fresh questions about Washington’s commitments to Gulf allies who host U.S. bases under security agreements, and whether America can credibly guarantee their defense while backing Israeli military actions.
