Confirmed: Israeli Airstrike in Doha Killed These Hamas Operatives
Israel carried out a precision airstrike in Doha, Qatar, targeting a residential compound of Hamas’s senior leadership. The operation, codenamed "Fire Summit," reportedly eliminated three key figures connected to Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, but the group’s top brass, including al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal, claimed to have survived.
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Earlier today, Israel executed a bold airstrike in Qatar’s capital, Doha, targeting senior Hamas leadership in a dramatic escalation of its campaign against the terrorist group. The precision strike, dubbed Operation "Fire Summit," eliminated three key figures linked to Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya: his chief aide, Jihad Labed; his son, Hammam al-Hayya; and Moamen Hassouna, a member of his security detail. The attack also claimed the lives of a Qatari security officer, Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi, and two escorts, Abdullah Abdulwahid and Ahmad al-Mamlouk, further inflaming tensions in the Gulf state.
There are reports circulating in the Arab world of 5 bodies found at the scene of the attack:
1. Al-Hamam Khalil al-Hayya
2. Jihad al-Balad
3. Mu'amen Hasuna
4. Abdullah Abd al-Alawhad “Abu Khalil”
5. Ahmed Abd al-Malik “Abu Malik”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet confirmed the operation, which struck a residential building in Doha’s Katara district, where Hamas’s political bureau operates. Hamas reported that its senior leaders, including al-Hayya, Khaled Mashaal, and Zaher Jabarin, survived the attack, which occurred as they discussed a U.S.-proposed ceasefire deal for Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who monitored the operation from the Shin Bet command center with Defense Minister Israel Katz, described it as a “wholly independent Israeli operation” targeting those “directly responsible” for the October 7, 2023, massacre that killed 1,200 Israelis.
The strike has drawn sharp international condemnation. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry labeled it a “cowardly” and “criminal” violation of its sovereignty, with spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari asserting that Doha “will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior.” The United Nations, Saudi Arabia, France, the UK, and others echoed this, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling it a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s territorial integrity. Hamas claimed the attack targeted its ceasefire negotiators, accusing Israel of sabotaging peace efforts.
The White House issued a pointed rebuke, stating that the “unilateral bombing of Qatar does not advance the interests of Israel or the United States.” President Donald Trump, in a call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, expressed regret over the “unfortunate incident” and reaffirmed his commitment to Middle East peace, assuring the emir that such an event would not recur. The White House emphasized that the operation was solely Israel’s, noting Qatar’s status as a key U.S. ally hosting the Al Udeid Air Base. U.S. officials confirmed they were notified in advance, though the extent of coordination remains unclear.
The attack followed a Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem on September 8, killing six Israelis, which Netanyahu cited as justification. It also coincided with Israel’s escalating offensive in Gaza, including evacuation orders for nearly a million Gaza City residents. Critics, including hostage families, fear the strike jeopardizes ceasefire talks and the fate of remaining hostages. Speculation has also emerged about whether Israeli media, including Channel 12’s Yonit Levi, Amit Segal, and Tamir Hayman, had prior knowledge, as they were reportedly in the U.S. during a news blackout.