Israel says it carried out a strike on Hamas’ main political office in Qatar

The Israeli military says it has carried out an airstrike on Hamas’ political headquarters in Qatar. Television footage from Doha showed a huge cloud of gray smoke rising over the area of Doha where the bombing took place.

A statement Tuesday from the Israeli military (IDF) said it had carried out the attack in Doha — which has been a key mediator in efforts to end the war in Gaza — in conjunction with the Israel’s internal security agency Shin Bet (ISA).

“The IDF and ISA conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization,” the statement said Tuesday. “For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel. Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence.”

The government of Qatar has denounced the airstrike, saying it “strongly condemns the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the political bureau of the Hamas movement in the Qatari capital, Doha.” It continued, “This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar.”

It said Qatar “will not tolerate this reckless and irresponsible Israeli behavior, which continuously undermines the region’s security.”

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.