Qatar denies White House's 'informed Qataris about Doha attack' claim: Did Trump betray close US ally for Israel?

Minutes after US President Donald Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US informed Qataris about the ‘impending Israeli strikes in Doha’, Qatar's government denied the claims. Issuing a statement on X, Qatar PM's advisor said that the reports of information given to Qatar ahead of IDF's attack in Doha is ‘baseless.’ Soon after the air strike, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that it was ‘independent’ and Israel takes ‘full responsibility’ of it. This raised questions about America's role and participation in the airstrike. Qatar condemned the attack calling it a ‘cowardly attack’ and announced that it is ending its role as negotiator.

What Karoline Leavitt said

Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the US administration was informed about the air strike, but also added that Trump's Middle East envoy was asked to inform Qataris - “which he did.” Leavitt said, “The Trump administration was notified by US military that Israel was attacking Hamas, which very unfortunately was located in a section of Doha, the capital of Qatar. 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 a peace does not advance Israeli or American goals. However, eliminating Hamas, which has profitted out of the misery of those living in Gaza is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed special envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did.” She added that Trump "feels very badly" about the location of the attack and wants all of the hostages in Gaza and the bodies of the dead released, and for this war to end now. Leavitt also said that Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attack, and Netanyahu told Trump that he wants to make peace quickly. She revealed that the US president was speaking to the Qatar leadership as well.

Qatar denied claims

A senior advisor to the Qatari Prime Minister, who also speaks for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied the claims that Qatar was tipped off about the recent attack. In a statement on X, he described the reports as completely ‘baseless.’ He said that there was no prior warning or heads-up before the explosions hit Doha, in fact, the message from a US official only came through once the blasts had already started, and explosions were heard.

What Netanyahu said?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that the strike against senior Hamas leaders in Doha was a ‘fully independent Israeli operation.’ The statement stated that the operation was carried out “solely by Israel”, without external coordination or foreign involvement. “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,” the statement read. it must be recalled that the attack in Doha comes months after Israel-Iran war, which concluded in a ceasefire, a day after Iran attacked a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for America's strike on Iranian nuclear sites.