US Embassy in Qatar Orders Citizens to Shelter in Place

Israeli strikes on Tuesday targeted Hamas officials in the Qatari capital, prompting the U.S. Embassy to order citizens to shelter in place. “We have seen reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha. The U.S. Embassy has instituted a shelter-in-place order for their facilities. U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place,” the embassy said in a statement.

A Hamas official in Gaza said the strikes hit the group’s negotiating delegation, which was reportedly discussing a ceasefire proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump. The official condemned the attack as a “new Zionist crime,” speaking on condition of anonymity.

Qatari authorities reported that residential buildings housing Hamas members were among the locations struck, with a total of eight sites affected.

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised the operation, saying, “Terrorists have no immunity and will never have immunity from Israel's long arm anywhere in the world,” calling it a “right decision and a perfect execution by the IDF and the Shin Bet.”

Iran, a key supporter of Hamas, strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a “gross violation of all international rules and regulations” and a breach of Qatar’s sovereignty. Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei described the action as “extremely dangerous and criminal.”

The strikes mark a significant escalation in tensions, as Hamas and Israel continue indirect negotiations brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, which have so far failed to yield a lasting ceasefire.