Israeli Airstrike in Doha Kills Senior Hamas Leader Khalil al-Hayya and Two Others

Doha: In a dramatic escalation, Israel carried out a rare airstrike inside Qatar’s capital, Doha, killing top Hamas leaders. According to Arab media, the attack claimed the lives of senior Hamas figures Khaled Mashal, Khalil al-Hayya, and Zaher Jabarin.

Eyewitnesses reported a series of powerful explosions in the Qatara district of Doha late Monday night. At least six blasts were heard, striking a building where Hamas representatives were reportedly holding discussions.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), along with intelligence agency Shin Bet, issued a joint statement confirming responsibility for the strike, declaring that Hamas leadership had been specifically targeted. Israeli media also quoted a senior official who described the attack as “a direct blow to Hamas’s overseas command structure.”

Just days earlier, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi’s deputy, Eyal Zamir, had openly warned that Hamas leaders living abroad would be hunted down. “Most of Hamas’s leadership is outside Gaza—we will reach them wherever they are,” he declared during a high-level military briefing.

This latest strike follows a pattern of overseas assassinations. In July 2024, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran by an Israeli strike. Over the past year, Israel has also carried out targeted operations in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, eliminating key Hamas and allied operatives.

Political analysts warn that the Doha strike could dramatically escalate tensions in the Gulf, potentially drawing Qatar directly into the conflict. The move has already triggered outrage across Arab nations, with strong condemnations of what many are calling “Israeli aggression beyond Gaza.”