President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was “not thrilled” and “very unhappy” after Israel confirmed its military carried out strikes in Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas leaders.
The action drew condemnation from Qatar and pushback from the White House. The Israel Defense Forces told CBS News the operation, code-named Summit of Fire, was aimed at Hamas officials it accused of directing the October 7 massacre and continuing to coordinate attacks against Israel.
The move placed the Trump administration in a sensitive position, given that both Israel and Qatar are close U.S. allies. Qatar hosts the largest American military base in the Middle East and has also long accommodated Hamas’ political offices while mediating ceasefire efforts.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., Tuesday night, Trump called the development “not a good situation.”
“I was very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect,” he said, stressing that his focus remained on securing the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz defended the strike, calling it justified and asserting Israel’s full responsibility for the action. Netanyahu said the Hamas leadership targeted bore direct responsibility for the October 7 attacks.
Hamas confirmed five members were killed but said its negotiators survived. The group labeled the strike “a heinous crime” even as it continued reviewing a ceasefire proposal backed by the Trump administration. The IDF said it used precision weapons and intelligence measures to limit civilian casualties.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. military was informed of the strikes. U.S. officials later clarified that Israel notified Washington just before launching the attack, but there was no American role in planning or execution. The U.S. subsequently informed Qatar after being briefed by Israel.
On Truth Social earlier Tuesday, Trump described the strike as an “unfortunate incident,” stressing the U.S. was not involved. “I view Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack,” he wrote.
The Qatari government condemned the strike as “cowardly,” accusing Israel of violating international law.
