BREAKING: Israeli forces announce airstrike against Hamas leaders in another country

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From the Associated Press: Israel launched a strike targeting Hamas’ leadership in Qatar on Tuesday, officials said, further widening its campaign against the militant group, as negotiations over ending the war in the Gaza Strip appears stalemated before a new military offensive there.

Black smoke rose over the skyline of the Qatari capital, Doha, with authorities there acknowledging the strike. It wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the attack, marking the second time the energy-rich nation has been directly attacked in the nearly two years of war that have gripped the wider Middle East since Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the attack was carried out, though an Israeli military spokesman referred to Israel’s air force carrying out the strike. Qatar Airways continued landing in Doha amid the strike, even as at least one Qatari air force aircraft took off on patrol over the country.

Fox News has separately reported that Israel was targeting two Hamas leaders, Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, while they were known to be having a meeting with other Hamas officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, “Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”

Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari condemned the strike, releasing the following statement on X, offering no apology that Hamas leaders have residences in their country:

The State of Qatar strongly condemns the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas in the Qatari capital, Doha. This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar.

The Ministry affirms that the security forces, civil defense, and relevant authorities immediately began addressing the incident and taking necessary measures to contain its repercussions and ensure the safety of the residents and surrounding areas.

While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they are available.

In a statement on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the strike, but didn’t say where it took place. The statement reads:

The IDF and ISA conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.

For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.

Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence.

The IDF and ISA will continue to operate with determination in order to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacre.

The New York Police Department announced, “We’re tracking the situation unfolding in Qatar. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC.”

READ MORE from the Associated Press.

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