Netanyahu warns Trump about strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar – Axios
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 9 warned US President Donald Trump about the intention to carry out a strike on the Qatari capital Doha, where the Hamas leadership was located, Axios reported.
According to Israeli officials, Netanyahu informed Trump that Israel planned to attack Hamas leaders in Qatar almost an hour before the strike took place.
"Trump knew about the strike before the missiles were launched. First, there was a discussion on the political level between Netanyahu and Trump, and afterwards through military channels. Trump didn't say no," an Israeli senior official told Axios.
Another source told the outlet that the US had been informed about the strike "well in advance" on the political level.
"If Trump had wanted to stop it, he could have. In practice, he didn't," he added.
Israeli officials noted that Israel would have called off the strike on Qatar if the US president had opposed it.
Israeli strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar
On September 9, the Israel Defense Forces, together with counterintelligence, carried out an airstrike on Doha.
The IDF stated that the purpose of the operation was to eliminate senior Hamas representatives who directly participated in organizing the October 7, 2023, attacks, as well as coordinating subsequent hostilities against Israel.
At the same time, in recent days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hamas leaders in Qatar remain alive, emphasizing the need to eliminate them.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump had been informed about Israel's plans and allegedly approved the strike.
However, Trump himself stated that the decision to strike Qatar was not his, but Netanyahu's.
