White House: Israeli strike in Qatar ‘does not advance US or Israeli goals’

The White House said Tuesday that Israel’s attack on Hamas officials in Qatar would not advance American or Israeli interests, stressing that Washington was not involved in the operation.

“US forces did not participate in the strikes, and we refer you to the [Israeli army] for any additional information,” a US official said.

White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the US military notified the Trump administration ahead of the strike.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” she told reporters during a press briefing.

Leavitt called eliminating Hamas a “worthy goal” but said President Donald Trump had immediately ordered his Middle East envoy to inform Qatari officials of the impending operation.

Qatar said reports about being informed ahead of time were false. “The communication received from one of the American officials came during the sound of explosions resulting from the Israeli attack in Doha,” Qatar’s spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said.

Trump later spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Qatari emir, assuring Doha “such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” she added.

“The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” Leavitt said, adding that Trump wants all of the hostages in Gaza. “President Trump believes this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace,” Leavitt said.

Netanyahu said the strike was a “wholly independent Israeli operation,” adding: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”

The Israeli Air Force said it used “precision weaponry and additional intelligence information,” but did not specify what aircraft or weapons were deployed.

Israel has at times conducted unilateral operations without notice, including last year’s two-pronged attack on Hezbollah’s telecommunications network in Lebanon. Israel then assassinated Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah before also killing his successor, Hashem Saffiedine. Washington was told an attack was imminent in both instances but not given details, according to US officials.

Tuesday’s attack also raised sensitivities given the presence of the US military’s largest regional base, Al Udeid Air Base, just outside Doha. The base hosts US Central Command’s forward headquarters and its Combined Air Operations Center, the hub for all US air missions in the Middle East.