WASHINGTON – The White House issued a sharp rebuke of Israel's unprecedented airstrike in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders, saying that President Donald Trump "feels very badly" the attack was carried out in an allied nation that has helped the United States.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a Sept. 9 briefing with reporters, said the U.S. military notified the Trump administration that Israel was attacking Hamas, adding the target "very unfortunately was located in a section of Doha."

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard in bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America's goals," Leavitt said. "However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”

The strikes in Doha marked an expansion of Israel's military actions against Hamas across the Middle East, including in the Gulf Arab state, where the Palestinian Islamist group has long had its political base.

Trump immediately directed Steven Witkoff, his special envoy in the Middle East, to notify Qatari leaders of the impending attack, Leavitt said. Qatari officials, however, disputed that characterization, saying the notification came while the attack was underway, not beforehand.

"The statements being circulated about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are baseless," Majed Al Ansari, spokesman for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement. "The call from a U.S. official came during the sound of explosions caused by the Israeli attack in Doha.

Qatar has played a key role in negotiations over the release of hostages and a potential cease-fire in the Gaza war, which has killed 60,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis, and Hamas officials have used the country as their international political base for years.

After the attack, Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "made his thoughts and concerns very clear," according to Leavitt, who said Trump believes this "unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace."

Trump, in a separate conversation after the attack, assured Qatari leaders ‒ Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and the country's emir, Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani ‒ "that such a thing will not happen again on their soil," Leavitt said.

"The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States and feels very badly about the location of this attack," Leavitt said.

Citing Hamas sources, Reuters and Al Jazeera reported that the Hamas negotiators targeted by Israel had survived. Air raid sirens wailed in Jerusalem around 8 p.m. local time as the military reported an incoming rocket attack from Yemen and residents briefly took cover.

Netanyahu said Israel takes "full responsibility" for the attack, which he called a "wholly independent Israeli operation."

"Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility," Netanyahu said.

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard of USA TODAY

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump 'feels very badly' about Israel's attack in Qatar, White House says

Reporting by Joey Garrison, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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