WASHINGTON, Sep 10: US President Donald Trump issued a mixed response to Israel’s strike in Doha, condemning the violation of Qatari sovereignty while also praising the operation’s goal of eliminating senior Hamas leaders, calling it a ‘worthy goal’.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Washington had been briefed by Tel Aviv ahead of the attack but stressed that the decision was taken unilaterally by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“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,” Trump wrote.
At the same time, he described the killing of Hamas figures as “a worthy goal,” accusing the group of profiting from the suffering of Gaza’s population.
Hamas confirmed that at least five of its members, including the son of exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, were killed in the strike.
Trump said he directed US envoy Steve Witkoff to warn Qatari authorities once the Israeli briefing was received, but admitted the message arrived “too late.” He called Qatar a “strong ally and friend” and expressed sadness over the attack’s location, urging an immediate end to the war and the release of all hostages.
The POTUS added that he spoke with Netanyahu following the strike, who affirmed his desire for peace. Ironically, Trump also said that the incident had a silver lining, as it could also serve as the catalyst for “creating a new opportunity for peace.”
Trump also spoke with Qatar’s Emir and Prime Minister, thanking them for their “support and friendship” and assuring them that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been instructed to finalise a defence cooperation agreement with Doha.
Speaking to reporters later, Trump contradicted his earlier post, saying he was not informed in advance about the strike but added: “I’m never surprised by anything, especially when it comes to the Middle East. I was very unhappy about every aspect of it.”
“I’m not thrilled about the whole situation,” he continued. “We want the hostages back, but we’re not thrilled about the way that went down today.”
The Israeli military said its operation specifically targeted Hamas officials involved in planning the October 7 massacre, which triggered the ongoing war.
(UNI)
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