Did the U.S. Really Warn Qatar? White House Confirms Israel Notified U.S. of Strike
The White House stated that President Trump was informed of the impending Israeli strike in Qatar and directed a U.S. official to notify the Qataris, a claim which Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson has vehemently denied.
In the aftermath of the Israeli strike on Hamas leadership in Doha, the White House has offered a complex account of the U.S. role, which has been met with a direct contradiction from Qatar. According to White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, U.S. President Donald Trump was notified of the impending Israeli strike by the U.S. military. Leavitt said that immediately upon learning of the planned attack, Trump instructed his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to speak with the Qataris, which Witkoff did. However, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, quickly refuted this claim on X, stating that the American notification arrived only "during the sounds of the explosions" from the Israeli attack.
Leavitt added that President Trump expressed his disappointment to Netanyahu regarding the location of the strike, saying that he does "not agree with the location of the attack" and that a "unilateral attack in Qatar does not advance the goals of Israel and the U.S." However, she confirmed that Trump believes eliminating Hamas leaders is a "worthy goal."
The White House also revealed that Trump spoke with both Netanyahu and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, after the strike. According to Leavitt, Netanyahu told Trump he wanted to "make peace and make it fast," to which Trump responded that he believes the "unfortunate incident can serve as an opportunity for peace." In his conversation with the Qatari leader, Trump reportedly made a direct promise: "This won't happen again on your territory."
The conflicting accounts between the U.S. and Qatar highlight the diplomatic tensions created by the strike on the soil of a U.S. ally. While the White House is keen to show it was not taken by surprise, Qatar's denial underscores its position that its sovereignty was violated without sufficient warning. The strike also comes just days after Trump issued a "last warning" to Hamas to accept a ceasefire deal, a move that some see as having laid the groundwork for the military action that followed.