In a historic escalation, Israel has carried out its first-ever attack on Qatari soil, sparking fierce condemnation from Doha.

The Israeli military confirmed that explosions in the Qatari capital, Doha, were the result of an assassination attempt targeting members of the Hamas leadership and senior officials of the Palestinian group, according to AlJazeera.

It is the first strike of its kind against Qatar, a country that has served as a key mediator in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas and hosts the region’s largest U.S. military installation, Al Udeid Air Base.

A Hamas source told Al Jazeera that the attack specifically targeted the group’s negotiating team as they met to deliberate on the latest U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal.

The Israeli military, in a statement Tuesday, said: “The IDF and Shin Bet, through the Air Force, recently carried out a targeted attack on the top leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.”

“The members of the leadership who were attacked led the terrorist organization’s activities for years, and are directly responsible for carrying out the October 7 massacre and waging the war against the State of Israel,” it added.

The statement further claimed that “steps were taken to minimize harm to uninvolved people, including the use of precision weapons and additional intelligence information.”

Qatar, however, responded with anger, denouncing the strike as a dangerous breach of its sovereignty. In a statement, Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said the country “condemns in the strongest terms” the attack, which he said was carried out on residential buildings housing several members of the Hamas political bureau.

“This criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar,” the statement reads.

“While strongly condemning this attack, the State of Qatar affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and its continued tampering with regional security, as well as any action targeting its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they become available.”

The attack comes as the war between Israel and Hamas continues to elicit global tensions.

Previously, SaharaReporters reported that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the killing of Mahmoud al-Aswad, head of Hamas’ General Security Apparatus for the West Gaza area.

In a statement released on its official X handle, the IDF described al-Aswad as a key figure and a significant source of intelligence for Hamas operations in the region.

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