Smoke still lingered over Doha’s skyline this week as the reverberations of Tuesday’s Israeli strike on a residential compound in Qatar continued to ripple across the Middle East and beyond. The attack, which targeted senior Hamas leaders, killed at least five members of the group and a Qatari security officer, igniting a diplomatic firestorm that has drawn in the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and regional powers including the United Arab Emirates.
On Friday, September 12, 2025, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took the rare step of summoning Israel’s deputy head of mission, David Ohad Horsandi, to formally condemn what it described as a “blatant and cowardly Israeli attack” on Qatari soil. According to the UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem bint Ebrahim al-Hashimy, the strike represented “an irresponsible escalation that threatens regional and international peace and security.” As reported by the Associated Press, al-Hashimy further warned, “The continuation of such hostile and provocative rhetoric undermines prospects for stability and pushes the region toward extremely dangerous trajectories, and solidifies a situation that is unacceptable and cannot be overlooked.”
The UAE’s condemnation was not limited to the strike itself. Emirati officials also denounced recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had warned Qatar to expel Hamas officials or “bring them to justice, because if you don’t, we will.” The Emirati WAM news agency relayed that the UAE considered Netanyahu’s comments “hostile,” and that the country’s president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, was touring Gulf Arab states to coordinate a unified response.
Tuesday’s attack in Doha marked a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. According to BBC News, the Israeli strike targeted a residential compound in the Qatari capital where senior Hamas leaders were believed to be staying. Khalil al-Hayya, a top Hamas official, survived the attack, but his son and office manager were among those killed. Hamas stated that its negotiating team had survived, but the loss of five lower-ranking members and a Qatari security officer underscored the gravity of the incident.
Hamas said Friday that Khalil al-Hayya attended funeral prayers in Qatar after “special security arrangements” were made, though the group did not release photos or video of the event. Historically, Hamas has sometimes delayed confirmation of senior militant deaths for months, adding to the uncertainty and tension in the region.
The international reaction was swift and pointed. On Wednesday, September 11, the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session at Qatar’s request, joined by Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia. The Council issued a statement—drafted by the UK and France and, notably, backed by all 15 members including the United States—condemning the strikes and underscoring the importance of de-escalation. The statement also expressed solidarity with Qatar, a close US ally that hosts a large American airbase and has played a key role in mediating indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel since hosting the group’s political bureau in 2012.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, traveled to New York to attend the Security Council meeting. Addressing the body, he declared, “This attack puts the international community before a test. Israel, led by blusterous extremists, has gone beyond any borders, any limitations when it comes to behaviour. We are unable to predict what Israel will do. How can we host Israeli representatives when they have committed this attack?”
Other voices in the chamber echoed Qatar’s outrage. Pakistan’s ambassador, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, asserted, “It is evident that Israel, the occupying power, is bent on doing everything to undermine and blow up every possibility of peace.” Algeria’s ambassador, Amar Bendjama, lamented that the Security Council remained “constrained” and “unable even to name the aggressor, to qualify aggression as a violation of international law.”
The Israeli response was unapologetic. Danny Danon, Israel’s representative to the United Nations, told the Council, “This strike sends a message that should echo across this chamber. There is no sanctuary for terrorists, not in Gaza, not in Tehran, not in Doha.” The Israeli Embassy in the UAE later defended the operation, stating it targeted “senior Hamas leadership who have used Qatar as a base from which to wage war on Israel.” The embassy added, “Israel is committed to defeating terrorism and ending Hamas’ reign of terror, bringing our hostages home and securing a safer future for Israelis and our collective region.”
Perhaps most striking was the response from the United States. Traditionally, the US has shielded Israel from Security Council criticism, often blocking statements perceived as hostile to its ally. This time, however, the US joined all other Council members in condemning the attack—though the statement stopped short of naming Israel directly. US President Donald Trump, who has long championed close ties with both Israel and Qatar, took to social media in the aftermath. He criticized the strikes, stating that unilaterally striking inside Qatar “does not advance Israel or America’s goals.” Yet he also called the elimination of Hamas a “worthy goal,” and suggested that “this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE.”
The diplomatic fallout extended beyond the United Nations. The UAE’s decision to summon the Israeli diplomat marked a rare moment of public rebuke since the two countries normalized relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords—a US-brokered agreement that also included Morocco, Bahrain, and Sudan. The accords were widely seen as a major achievement of Trump’s first term, opening the door to unprecedented cooperation across security, economic, and cultural spheres. The current crisis, however, has tested those ties, with the UAE leading calls for restraint and accountability.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s role as a mediator and US ally has come under scrutiny. The country has invested heavily in its diplomatic relationships, recently signing a “historic” $1.2 trillion economic agreement with the US and gifting a $400 million aircraft to serve as the new Air Force One. Yet, as BBC News noted, the Doha strikes shocked many in the region who had long assumed that such close relations with Washington would offer security from conflict spillover.
As the dust settles, the region is bracing for further diplomatic maneuvering. An emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic nations is set to take place in Qatar next week to address the fallout from the attack. With tensions running high and rhetoric escalating, the coming days may prove decisive in determining whether the crisis sparks broader instability—or whether, as some leaders hope, it becomes a catalyst for renewed dialogue and de-escalation.
For now, the world watches as Doha’s skyline stands as a stark reminder of the region’s volatility—and the high stakes of diplomacy in a time of conflict.
