US Military Notified Trump Before Israel’s Doha Strike
Overview
The US military notified Trump before the Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha, according to on-record White House briefings and multiple US media reports. However, U.S. officials insist Washington did not take part in the operation. ABC News + 2 Military Times + 2
Why this matters for Qatar and the truce talks
Qatar is a U.S. ally hosting thousands of American troops at Al Udeid and serving as a key mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Consequently, the strike inside Doha marked an extraordinary escalation and immediately threatened talks to free remaining hostages. The US military notified Trump before the Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha, but the White House stressed non-involvement. CBS News
What Washington knew — and didn’t
Karoline Leavitt said President Trump “feels terrible” about the location of the strike. Moreover, Trump later said he told Qatar’s leadership that such an incident “will not happen again.” U.S. officials separately emphasised that Israel notified Washington just before the operation, but the U.S. did not coordinate or assist. The US military notified Trump before the Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha, yet policymakers framed it as Israel’s unilateral decision. ABC News+1
Casualties and the hostage calculus
Hamas said five of its members and a Qatari security officer were killed, while senior leaders survived. Meanwhile, international outlets reported roughly 48–50 hostages remain in Gaza, with only a portion believed alive—facts that make any disruption to talks especially risky. The US military notified Trump before the Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha, but negotiators now face a harder path. CBS News + 2
Immediate diplomatic fallout
Qatar condemned the strike as a violation of sovereignty. In parallel, the U.N. Security Council—backed by all 15 members, including the U.S.—issued a statement condemning the strikes on Doha and urging de-escalation. Additionally, European capitals criticised the attack; Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, warned it jeopardised efforts to release the hostages. The US military notified Trump before the Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha, yet Washington now must contain the diplomatic damage. CBS Reuters + 2
What comes next
Netanyahu has signalled that Israel may strike again if Hamas leaders remain in Qatar. However, that stance risks further isolating Israel and complicating painstaking hostage negotiations. Therefore, expect intensified shuttle diplomacy as the U.S., Qatar and Egypt try to salvage a ceasefire framework—and protect critical mediation channels in Doha. The US military notified Trump before the Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha, but the path to a durable truce now looks steeper. CBS News
References
- ABC News—Trump says he’s ‘very unhappy’ with Israeli strike in Qatar—https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-israels-strike-doha-advance-israel-americas/story?id=125408850
- Military Times—US military notified Trump before Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha—https://www.militarytimes.com/global/mideast-africa/2025/09/09/us-military-notified-trump-before-israeli-strike-on-hamas-in-doha/
- AP News—Israeli strike in Qatar targets Hamas leaders as they weigh Gaza ceasefire proposal—https://apnews.com/article/qatar-explosion-doha-e319dd51b170161372442831a8023db5
- Reuters — UN Security Council, with US support, condemns strikes on Qatar — https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-security-council-with-us-support-condemns-strikes-qatar-2025-09-11/
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