Israeli strike in Qatar: For a long time, striking Hamas officials in Qatar has been regarded as off-limits by the Israelis; Qatar is a strong U.S. ally. Though it vowed to avenge the deaths of those Israelis killed in the October 7 terrorist attack, the Israeli military was willing to accept limits for the sake of its relationship with the U.S., the possibility that Hamas might accept a ceasefire deal, and regional stability.
But "by noon Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given the green light for an audacious attack on Qatari soil, targeting a residence used by Hamas figures in the dusty northern suburbs of Doha," reported The Wall Street Journal. "More than 10 Israeli jet fighters fired long-range munitions at the house, causing explosions heard across the capital. It was an escalation of Israel's tactics against the U.S.-designated terrorist group, targeting its leaders in a sovereign country that mediates Gaza peace talks and hosts the most important U.S. air base in the region."
"The days are over that terrorist leaders will have immunity anywhere," Netanyahu said yesterday.
