U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly had a tense phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel carried out an airstrike in Doha, Qatar, targeting Hamas leaders, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Trump told Netanyahu on Tuesday that the decision to strike inside the territory of a close U.S. ally was “reckless and ill-considered.” Netanyahu responded that he had a short window of opportunity and chose to act immediately, U.S. officials told the paper.
A second call later the same day was described as warmer, with Trump asking whether the operation had succeeded.
The Israeli strike in Doha sought to eliminate Hamas’s political leadership. The group said its top figures survived, but five people were killed, including the son of exiled Gaza leader and negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.
The attack sparked strong international condemnation, especially since Qatar has hosted ceasefire talks aimed at ending the Gaza war.
Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, vowed that Hamas leaders would be targeted again if they survived Tuesday’s strike, warning:
“We will hunt them down and destroy those who seek to destroy us.”
