By Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis (ret.)
When rockets rain across your homeland and terrorists parade through your streets unpunished — even in foreign capitals — that’s when a decisive response becomes not just necessary, but imperative.
On Sept. 9, Israel shattered a sense of security for Hamas’ high command in Doha, delivering a bold, extraterritorial strike on leadership sites inside Qatar. The message was clear: The architects of the Oct. 7, 2023, genocidal assault on innocent Israelis have no sanctuary — no matter where they hide.
A Strike That Broke Boundaries
Israel’s military conducted what officials described as a “precise strike” targeting senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, notably Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, deeply involved in ceasefire negotiations. “The IDF and ISA [Shin Bet] conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization,” a statement confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility,” Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office declared.
Blasts were reported across Doha’s Katara and Legtaifiya districts, including near a gas station adjacent to a guarded residential compound. Qatar condemned the attack as “cowardly” and a violation of international law.
A Pattern of Targeted Strikes Abroad
This was not Israel’s first foray beyond its borders. In January 2024, Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ deputy political chief, was killed in a drone strike in Beirut, marking the first such assassination of a Hamas leader outside Palestinian territories since Oct. 7. A few months later, Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly struck in Tehran. Today’s Doha operation simply extends that pattern, showing Israel’s willingness to dismantle Hamas leadership “where they are,” not just where they fight.
Why It Matters Now More Than Ever
Hamas remains an embedded insurgency in Gaza. Analysts estimate around 20,000 fighters remain operational, with recruitment sustained through family and clan networks despite heavy losses. Gaza’s 2.2 million civilians, reeling from devastation, provide cover in dense urban terrain and tunnels; some estimates suggest up to 450 miles of subterranean network beneath civilian infrastructure.
Compounding the problem is Hamas’ rapid replenishment — even after the leadership is targeted. U.S. intelligence confirms recruitment continues apace through extended networks. Attrition warfare alone is insufficient against an organization that views martyrdom as a recruitment tool.
Rescuing hostages remains an agonizing challenge. In June 2024, Israeli forces freed four hostages in Nuseirat — but only after fierce fire, air support and with devastating civilian casualties. This underscores the operational complexity Israel faces within Gaza’s civilian labyrinth.
Information Warfare: Hamas’ Strategy to Win Hearts and Minds
Hamas understands well the power of optics. By embedding fighters and leadership within civilian populations, it provokes Israel into strikes that generate civilian casualties, and, therefore, global outrage. Multiple studies confirm Hamas’ strategy: provoke, amplify the damage, erode Israel’s legitimacy, mobilize street pressure across the Islamic world and extract concessions. The real battlefield is not just the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza, but also the airwaves and social media platforms where narratives are shaped.
Every Israeli operation is a potential public relations trap. The Doha strike, unfolding in a U.S.-allied capital, risks feeding Hamas’ narrative — unless Israel continues to emphasize precision and legal justification.
The Iran Connection
Let’s be clear: Hamas would not survive this long without Tehran. Iran’s funding — estimated in the hundreds of millions annually — arms, trains and sustains Hamas’ military and political infrastructure. Qatar, while playing mediator, is also a longstanding home to Hamas’ Political Bureau, with upwards of $1.8 billion transferred to Hamas over the years.
Tehran will exploit today’s attack to rally support, denounce Western complicity and leverage new fronts. Western media must parse messages carefully and not allow Hamas or Iran to hijack the narrative.
Qatar: Partner of Convenience, Not an Ally
Qatar is not an ally, but a partner of convenience, tolerated mainly for America’s access to Al Udeid Air Base, home to U.S. Central Command. Its record — supporting al Qaeda affiliates, the Taliban and Hamas — shows it backs the wrong side. Washington often overlooks this duplicity to keep the base, a costly bargain that lets Qatar function as both arsonist and firefighter in regional conflicts.
Implications for U.S. Policy and the Abraham Accords
The Doha strike reverberates beyond Gaza, exposing Washington’s untenable reliance on a partner that harbors terrorists while hosting America’s key regional base. With no evidence the U.S. warned Qatar beforehand, the silence suggests a lack of trust, an indictment of a so-called partner. Regionally, the impact is mixed: Abraham Accords states like the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco may view the strike as justified self-defense, but the Arab public sympathetic to Palestinians could pressure governments to cool ties. The Accords’ durability now hinges on Israel framing its campaign as precise defense and on America’s willingness to stand firmly by its ally.
Did Trump Know?
Speculation swirls. Israeli media report that President Donald Trump gave Israel the green light prior to the strike — as he had publicly warned Hamas two days earlier. Netanyahu quickly responded that the operation was “wholly independent,” declaring Israel’s sole responsibility. No U.S. government representative has confirmed prior authorization.
Conclusion: A Strategic Blow but Not the Endgame
The strike on Doha signals Israel’s capability and willingness to reach Hamas’s leadership anywhere. It delivers a necessary blow to enemy command — and to the illusion of safe haven. But, it’s not the closing chapter.
Hamas remains an insurgent network — difficult to uproot, quick to regrow and deadly enough to threaten Israeli civilians. Israel must continue to strike where it can, while the world must understand that precision and proportion matter — both on the battlefield and in the court of world opinion.
Israel’s message is unmistakable that there is no refuge for terrorism. May that message resonate — and may it hold, wherever Hamas tries to flee next.
