Qatar attack latest: Trump condemns ‘unfortunate’ Israeli airstrike on Doha that killed six

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson has refuted claims that Qatar received prior warnings from the US about Israel’s airstrike on Doha.

“The statements being circulated about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are baseless,” Majed al-Ansari said in a post on X.

“The call from a US official came during the sound of explosions caused by the Israeli attack in Doha,” he added.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today in response to Israel’s strikes targeting Hamas officials in Qatar.

The meeting was requested by Algeria and Pakistan, among other nations, AFP news agency reported.

Qatar has told the UN Security Council that investigations into the airstrike are under way “at the highest level”.

It said it would not “tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the ongoing disruption of regional security”, ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani wrote.

“The State of Qatar strongly condemns this cowardly criminal assault, which constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms,” she said.

Donald Trump told the media that he was “not thrilled” and “very unhappy” after Israel’s strike targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar, but offered only mild condemnation of the attack itself as the United Nations called it a “flagrant” violation of international law.

Israel confirmed that it struck a target in Doha on Tuesday in an effort to kill Hamas negotiators and leaders. Initial statements from Hamas indicated that only junior members of the militant group were killed.

The president made his first on-camera remarks about the strike during a gaggle with members of the White House press pool Tuesday evening as he stepped into a swanky D.C. eatery, Joe’s Stone Crab. He’d previously issued a statement on Truth Social, and told reporters that more complete remarks would come on Wednesday.

The European Union has said the attack on Doha might lead to more conflict, in one of the strongest statements to date on from the bloc.

“Today’s airstrike by Israel against Hamas leaders in Doha breaches international law and Qatar’s territorial integrity, and risks a further escalation of violence in the region,” said Anouar El Anouni, a spokesperson for the European Commission.

The EU has been riven by deep disagreements over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Mass protests have rocked European cities from Amsterdam to Barcelona calling for a ceasefire.

The Houthis in Yemen blamed Israel and the US for the Doha attack.

Mohammed al-frah, a member of the Houthis’ political office, said Israel and the United States were fully responsible.

“This cowardly operation was nothing but a deliberate assassination attempt against the negotiating delegation, a despicable effort to eliminate any prospect for peace, and an execution of any diplomatic hope in the region,” he said.

Lebanon called Israel’s attack an attempt to further destabilise the Middle East.

President Joseph Aoun said the strikes were “part of a series of attacks committed by Israel, demonstrating its insistence on undermining all efforts made to achieve stability and security in the countries of the region and the safety of its people.”