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Trump Sends a Strong Message to Netanyahu After Targeting Qatar: Do Not Attack Again
U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to carry out further attacks on Qatar, according to Axios. The Wall Street Journal quoted senior U.S. officials as saying that Trump explicitly told Netanyahu that his decision to target Hamas inside Qatar was not a wise move.
The newspaper reported that Trump made these comments during a "sharp" phone call on Tuesday, following the attack, emphasizing that such operations are not in the interest of regional stability. According to the report, Netanyahu responded that the opportunity to strike was limited, and he seized it rather than waste it.
Later that day, the two had a second, reportedly friendly, call during which Trump asked Netanyahu whether the attack had succeeded, indicating positive engagement between the leaders after the escalation.
Trump previously expressed his dissatisfaction with the Israeli raid on Qatar, which targeted a Hamas leaders’ meeting. He told reporters before dining in Washington, "Honestly, I am not happy with the whole situation." During a rare tour of the U.S. capital streets, he added, "We want the hostages back, but we are not satisfied with how things went today," referring to the unprecedented attack on Doha.
On the "Truth Social" platform, Trump stated that "the attack on Qatar was a decision made by Netanyahu, and I have nothing to do with it," adding that the U.S. military informed his administration that Israel was attacking Hamas in the Qatari capital. He also said he instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to complete a defense cooperation agreement with Qatar.
In his latest statement, Trump suggested that "the attack on Doha might be an opportunity for peace," but he emphasized that he had directed envoy Stephen Wicovia to notify Qatar of the imminent strike, even though it might be too late to stop it. He confirmed that the United States told Qatar such operations would not be repeated on its soil.
