An Israeli official has told The Associated Press that it targeted Hamas’ leadership in Qatar’s capital, Doha.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak beyond the public statement.
The announcement came as an explosion could be heard in Doha, Qatar’s capital.
The Qatari-funded news network Al Jazeera linked the blast to the Israeli announcement. The blast echoed in Doha, sending black smoke into the air. It wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was injured in the attack.
Hamas’ exiled leadership has long been based in Qatar, which has served as a mediator in talks between Hamas and Israel for several years, even before the latest conflict in the Gaza Strip.
A strike on its top leadership could further complicate negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
Qatar is an energy-rich nation on the Arabian Peninsula. Al Jazeera, state-funded broadcaster, acknowledged the explosion, without elaborating. Officials in Qatar didn’t immediately answer telephone calls for comment.